As nature is blossoming this spring season we are also witnessing the growth and rejuvenation of a community, with a new generation of young people discovering their Jewish heritage through Chabad.

This past weekend 55 students from various cities in Russia gathered in Rostov for a unique Shabbaton featuring inspiring lectures, games and lively discussions. This special gathering ignited an interest in Judaism among many young people who are the future of the community.

The Shabbaton began with an outdoor Kabbalas Shabbos filled with joyous singing and dancing on the street. The Friday night meal turned into a farbrengen which lasted until 3:00 am, listening to Jewish stories and engaging in thought-provoking discussions about the importance of marrying Jewish and establishing a Jewish home.

During the Torah reading on Shabbos 4 girls chose Jewish names and five boys were called up to the Torah for the very first time in their lives. On Shabbos afternoon participants attended a variety of lectures, and during Seuda Shlishis students shared inspiring stories from their personal lives. One girl mentioned that ever since her great-grandparents were killed by the Nazis, her family has hidden their Jewish identity. But around a year ago she decided to visit the shul and realized that being Jewish does not have to be kept secret anymore.

Motzei Shabbos the program continued after havdallah with a BBQ, a question and answer session and discussions lasting until the morning. On Sunday students put on teffilin for first time and attended two more lectures. At the conclusion of the Shabbaton, during a feedback session, one student commented, “it’s amazing to see so many people come so far in their awareness and observance of traditions, it’s really inspiring”. All the students who attended indicated a strong desire to share in more programs and Shabbatons of this nature.

“This Shabbaton opened my eyes to the tremendous potential for growth among the young people in the community,” said Rabbi Chaim Danzinger. “Seeing how much each student gained from this event makes me feel that we have to redouble our efforts to reach out to the youth IY”H, with programs that engage them and raise their awareness.”

This Shabbaton was made possible through a generous grant from the Miralishvili Fund (Keren Miralishvili)

Our Hong Kong guests joined us in delivering the monthly food packages to the needy. One of the older women said she has been sick for weeks and this visit has lifted her spirits. She now looks forward to joining us for our special communal Seder for the elderly.

The Jewish Community of Rostov has launched a Holocaust Memorial Project to commemorate the 27,000 Jews killed in a mass grave at Zmievskaya Balka in Rostov. Other famous locations of Nazi genocides are well documented, like the well-known forest of Babi Yar. The Rostov massacre was somehow overlooked while piecing together the tragedies that befell our people in that dark time, and we don’t want the names of those innocent victims to be forgotten. We are currently gathering names, stories and photos to be included in an extensive multilingual memorial website.

This project was initiated by Mr. Yuri Dombrovsky from Moscow, who is also generously funding it. This initiative comes shortly after the memorial service held at Zmievskaya Balka attended by students of  the Or Avner Jewish Day School and by community members.

During the memorial event Rabbi Chaim Danzinger said “This year the world celebrates 65 years since the defeat of the Nazis. Den Pobedi (Victory Day in Russian) is not only an event which took place 65 years ago, rather it’s an ongoing victory which is taking place every single day. Every time we visit the synagogue, every time we light shabbat candles or celebrate Jewish holidays and traditions, we are defeating the Nazis!”.

To learn more about this project please visit: www.RememberingRostov.com.

100 pairs of shoes were distributed to underprivileged children ages 2-13. The shoes were kindly donated by the Keren Yedidut Fund headed by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein of Chicago, IL.

On Behalf of our community we would like to thank the Keren Yedidut for their ongoing support.

The Jewish community of Rostov held a family fun day on Lag B’omer with attractions and entertainment for kids of all ages. The children learned about the holiday in a fun and interactive way while at the same time their parents were divided into groups for adult study sessions. The children then performed the Jewish songs and recited 12 Pesukim (Torah passages).

Adults and children alike were entertained by a magician who even taught them the secrets behind the tricks. Following relay races everyone sat down for a BBQ lunch including hotdogs in buns, salads, and snacks.

The event took place in a park near the Don River.

On the Seventh night of Chanukah, students and young professionals gathered in a rented out cafe for a Chanukah party. The party featured live Jewish music, fun games, socializing and of course a menorah lighting. Despite the snowy blizzard raging outside, the cafe was filled with 120 students.

Or Avner Jewish Day School was buzzing with excitement the entire week of Chanukah. Grades 1-6 participated in a competitive candle making contest and were able to win fun Chanukah prizes for their creations. After learning about all the mitzvot that we do with candles, each class had a different type of candle that they had to create. The children used various materials to make beautiful wedding candles, shabbat candles, menorahs and havdallah candles.

A special program was held on Wednesday in which the students rotated from classroom to classroom, particpating in many exciting, interactive activities that were planned by grades 7-11. The older classes worked diligently on decorating their classrooms according to different Chanukah themes and creating fun games and tasks for the younger grades to do inside. One of the classrooms was turned into a model of the Holy Temple after it was destroyed, and the younger students had to clean it up and search for a pure jug of oil. Another classroom was made into a battle zone and the children had to fight the Greeks with ballooons. When the students had completed the tasks from every room, they gathered in the auditorium for Menorah lighting and award presentations to all the diligent students.

On Sunday, the third night of Chanukah, the Jewish Community of Rostov, headed by Rabbi Chaim and Kaila Danzinger, held a grand Chanukah celebration for the entire community. The event was held in the shul and was attended by over 350 people. The program included a Menorah lighting, singing and dancing performances by the Or Avner Jewish Day School and Preschool, and a Yiddish concert by volunteers of our Chesed organization. Following the presentations, the children enjoyed fun Chanukah arts & crafts, cotton candy, and popcorn.

During the event, thirteen nominees were presented with the “Person of the Year” award by the Jewish community. These awards were given to volunteers who help the elderly, work in the soup kitchen, and those who take an active role in guaranteeing the future of Judaism in Rostov.

Rabbi Chaim Danzinger spoke about the history and miracles of Chanukah, stressing the importance of increasing our involvement in Jewish life and traditions just as we increase the lights of the menorah each night of Chanukah.

The Jewish community of Rostov joined together to celebrate the Rebbe Rashab’s birthday, which occurred on Shabbos, the 20th of MarCheshvan. Rostov Jews have a long tradition of visiting the Ohel of the Rebbe located in the Old Jewish cemetery in the center of the city. On Friday, the Ohr Avner Jewish Day School visited the Ohel and shared a moving experience, praying together at the holy site. For weeks prior to Chof Cheshvan the students were busy preparing creative projects and reports about the Rebbe Rashab, which were then displayed in the Shul at a community lecture on Sunday.

On Sunday, more than 100 people gathered at the Ohel to read their ‘panim’ and pray on behalf of their families and the entire Jewish community. Rabbi Chaim Danzinger explained the various customs associated with visiting the Ohel, and led the recital of Tehilim aloud. Additional letters were brought to the Ohel that were sent by Chassidim from around the world.

After visiting the Ohel, many members of the community gathered in the Shul for a lecture by guest speaker Rabbi DovBer Baitman of Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. Rabbi Baitman gave an uplifting and thought-provoking speech about the foundation of Chassidus, the Ten Sefiros, and the importance of keeping the Mitzvot. A separate lecture was held earlier in the afternoon for students and young professionals, focusing on the importance of Jewish marriage and relationships.

The highlights of the day were the Bris Milah ceremonies held for three local Jews aged 22-28, who are now identified by their chosen Jewish names; Yosef, Mordechai and Binyamin.

Finally, the Chof Cheshvan festivities concluded with a lively farbrengen that lasted well into the night. The nigunim and inspiring words of Torah lifted the spirits of all who attended.

“Due to the many challenges facing Jewish communities in Russia, it is particularly important that everyone participate in this special occasion” said Rabbi Danzinger. “In times of hardship, sharing the joy of a Chassidic holiday will bring happiness and blessings to the entire community.”