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.”
On the last night of Chol Hamoed, over 70 college-aged students and young professionals gathered for an exciting Sukkos program. They enjoyed pizza, a competitive Sukkos contest, music, and socializing. For many of them this was their first time fulfilling the mitzvah of Lulav and Esrog and sitting in a Sukkah. Rabbi Chaim Danzinger shared a story of Sukkos and elaborated on the significance of this Yom Tov, encouraging everyone to become more involved in Judaism.
Some of these students joined us this past summer on our bi-annual Birthright (Taglit) trip to Israel, and are now proudly continuing their journey exploring their Jewish roots.
Over 60 Jewish seniors from our community gathered for a festive Sukkot meal and celebration in the community Sukkah. Rabbi Chaim Danzinger spoke about the meaning of the holiday and explained the significance of the lulav and etrog. Following that everyone made a blessing on the lulav and etrog and a wonderful meal was enjoyed by all. The Chesed community choir performed some Russian Jewish songs and everyone clapped and sang along.
On Chol Hamoed children from all around Rostov gathered for a fun sukkot party and fair. The program began in the communities Sukkah with snacks and drinks. The children all shook lulav and etrog and loaded onto busses to go to a nearby park for Sukkot arts and crafts, games and horseriding.
A few days before Rosh Hashanah the Jewish Day School ran a Rosh Hashanah fair coordinated by Kaila Danzinger. A local beekeeper came to make a presentation and to teach the students how honey is made. Then the kids participated in a shofar demo, made greeting cards for seniors in the community and made candy apples for the first time in their lives. They learned all about the meaning of Rosh Hashanah and the various customs and traditions associated with it.
On Rosh Hashanah day, aside from our main services attended by over 200 people, we also held a separate seniors event and meal for 80 seniors, as well as a kids program and shofar blowing with over 100 kids and parents in attendance.We held two separate Tashlich services at the Don River, a five minute walk from our Synagogue.
Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we held a kaparot service. We invited a shochet from Volgograd (a city 500 kilometers away) who is also the local Rabbi there to come prepare the chickens so that we can have kosher chickens for Sukkot.
Over the past two months, we have been distributing food packages to needy children in Rostov-on-Don and the surrounding areas. The packages include chicken, fish, fruit, vegetables, baked goods and non-perishables. This project has been generously funded by the Keren Yedidut foundation headed by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein (IFCJ). To date over 200 packages have been distributed to needy children.
This initiative comes at a very critical time, as the current economic downturn has caused many people to lose their jobs. The average monthly salary is between $200-$400 which leaves many families struggling to make ends meet.
At our recent food distribution, a single mother noted that “if not for the Keren Yedidut packages we would not be able to celebrate Rosh Hashanah properly.”
Our community would like to thank Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein and the Keren Yedidut for all their continuous support.
In August, 40 Jewish students from Rostov experienced the trip of a lifetime going to Israel on a 10 day Birthright trip (Taglit). This was the second time this year that such a group was sent from Rostov, and plans are already underway for an upcoming trip this winter.
It was an incredible experience for them! They visited Safed, Tiberias, the Dead Sea as well as many other cities… The highlight of their trip was a Shabbat spent in Jerusalem and their visit to the Western Wall. Most of them experienced Shabbat for the first time, and came back with a real sense of Jewish pride.
Since their arrival back in Rostov many have started attending Shabbat services Friday night and about 10 of them have joined our STARS Judaism course.
