One hundred and thirty outstanding Jewish students and young professionals from Russia and additional FSU countries completed a transformative year of Jewish heritage study and project development training under the YAHAD organization, culminating in a meaningful and empowering educational journey to Georgia.
Ever asked yourself how to promote community involvement? YAHAD did—and created a new, innovative program focused on equipping young Jews with the tools to lead and implement community initiatives. Throughout the year, they trained and studied, eventually designing and launching thirty-three impactful projects to benefit their local Jewish communities, all in full collaboration with their local rabbis and communal leaders.
One such initiative came from students in Baku who noticed the lack of prayer materials in the local language. They translated and printed key prayers in Azeri for congregants less familiar with Hebrew or Russian. Another initiative came from students in Tbilisi, where it is customary to bury women with their Ketubah. Since the Ketubah also serves as a very important document in proving Jewishness, the lack of such documentation complicated the process for many. The new initiative created an archive, scanning all available and new Ketubahs in order to prevent the problem.
In Russian Samara, students initiated a “Myth Explosion” session for students and faculty to discuss and reveal the truth behind different Jewish topics. Other participants launched creative and original humanitarian, cultural, educational, and community-based projects.
“After a full year of Jewish heritage study, leadership training, and building their ability to structure and implement community projects and initiatives, these 130 ambitious and committed students were rewarded with a symbolic and inspiring trip to Jewish Georgia — a land steeped in centuries of Jewish history and breathtaking natural beauty,” shared Rabbi Mendy Wilansky, Director of YAHAD.
A particularly emotional moment, capturing the essence of YAHAD’s mission, occurred during the weeklong trip: a wedding under the chuppah between two program participants — a groom from Samara and a bride from Nizhny Novgorod.
Their Jewish journey began separately, each reconnecting with their heritage through YAHAD’s programs in their respective cities. They met during various YAHAD events and eventually chose to build their Jewish life together. Their wedding, celebrated alongside their fellow participants and families, moved everyone deeply and served as a powerful symbol of Jewish continuity.
