With the help of Israeli and American Jews, through Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, there will be communal Passover sedarim in many communities throughout the republics of the former Soviet Union. The Hillel Passover Project has been running for seven consecutive years and aims to provide the traditional Passover experience for Jews still living in the former Soviet Union. Teams of Americans and Israelis will be on hand to assist in the organization and conducting of the sedarim.
In other yiddishkeit news, the Russian Jewish community of Samara just welcomed its first new Torah scroll in more than 100 years. The festive hachnasat sefer Torah (procession bringing the Torah to the synagogue) was attended by several hundred locals, the regional governor, Konstantin Titov, and the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar. The Jewish community of Samara numbers approximately 15,000 souls. As reported by the Jewish Agency, Rabbi Lazar said, ?Many people came over to me and told me that they couldn't believe this was happening? that people could be so open about their religion.?
In other yiddishkeit news, the Russian Jewish community of Samara just welcomed its first new Torah scroll in more than 100 years. The festive hachnasat sefer Torah (procession bringing the Torah to the synagogue) was attended by several hundred locals, the regional governor, Konstantin Titov, and the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar. The Jewish community of Samara numbers approximately 15,000 souls. As reported by the Jewish Agency, Rabbi Lazar said, ?Many people came over to me and told me that they couldn't believe this was happening? that people could be so open about their religion.?