Sixty six kilometers from the city of Moscow lies the city of Istra, one of 39 sub-districts of the Moscow region, the capital of Russia, a region with a population of nearly nine million. The city of Istra itself is surrounded by picturesque villages and towns and is considered a place with good air quality thanks to the dense vegetation and rivers surrounding the area. It is no wonder that Soviet educational camps were established there, in order to “re-educate” thousands and thousands of children, amongst them many Jews.

With the revival of Judaism in Russia and the re-establishment of numerous Jewish communities throughout the vast country, the immediate need for suitable accommodations for Jewish camps was felt, in order to provide Jewish education to thousands of Jews who still do not receive a regular Jewish education throughout the year, and in the summer months this becomes possible. Thus, the first camp – and its Russian name: ‘Lager’ – was established by the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar, who foresaw the vision some three decades ago, the first step towards a revolution in Jewish education that Russia is currently undergoing and is developing without a doubt.

Recently, the large campgrounds  in the Istra region, which were purchased by the community many years ago, have undergone a massive renovation from the ground up, with huge financial investment, while thinking through every detail, including the luxurious landscaping with state-of-the-art facilities, and all that is left to do is to convince as many Jewish children as possible to register and participate in the camps, during the months off from formal schooling, in the winter and in the city in the summer.