Russian President Vladimir Putin met today (Thursday) in the Kremlin with the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar, to discuss multiple issues, including the release of Russian-Israeli citizen Alexander Sasha Troufanov after nearly 500 days in Hamas captivity.
The meeting was also attended by Rabbi Alexander Barda, President of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Russia.
According to a statement from the Russian government press office, the meeting opened with a discussion on the release of Sasha Trufanov from captivity in Gaza.
Rabbi Lazar, who met with Trufanov and his family four days ago, thanked the president for his efforts to free him and conveyed greetings from the family.
During the meeting, Rabbi Lazar quoted the article “Whoever saves one life is as if he saved an entire world,” referring to the importance of saving lives in Judaism.
Putin said, "I would like to ask you to convey my best wishes to Alexander Trofanov, our citizen, and to his loved ones on his release from captivity."
The Russian President said that Trufanov's release was "thanks to the Russian Federation’s consistent policy of stabilizing the Middle East, which has fostered trust among many partners in the region" and that is was not easy secure.
"Thank God he is home, surrounded by his loved ones," he said.
Putin also told Rabbi Lazar, “I want to thank you for your active participation in the life of civil society in our country and for the contribution you make through the Jewish Museum. It seems to me that it has turned out to be a very good institution, this institution is of interest not only to members of the Jewish community, but also to our citizens of all religions and ethnic groups. The work is significant and comprehensive, and from a cultural point of view it is also interesting.”
Rabbi Lazar responded, "It is interesting to see when children come to visit. How for them this is a new understanding of how to be friends, to live all together, only together. Russia has united around spirituality, around G-d. This is a special time. We see how people come, people want and strive for this, and for us it is simply a miracle to see it here."
“Before, the state, unfortunately, did not understand how important it is to sanctify the spiritual faith. I very often tell people not to forget what it was like 25 years ago. People always want more. What's more, we are careful and want to never be satisfied. We want to build more, do more," he added.
"We want every city to have centers like this. If there is a museum, a community center, a cultural center, that is very important. It's not just for Jews, it's for everyone. Our doors are open to everyone. And by doing so, we can make a real difference in the lives of citizens," the rabbi said.