BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

28/10/2008

Mogilev Jewish Community Celebrates Sukkot

MOGILEV, Belarus - In the Belarus city of Mogilev, many children attending the Sunday school operated by the local Jewish community had the pleasure of taking part in the festival of Sukkot for the first time ever. Guided by Chief Rabbi of Mogilev Menachem Mendel Alperowitz, a Chabad Lubavitch emissary serving in the region, they were able to perform the 'Arba Minim' blessing and other commandments of this holiday.

As described by the Jewish community's Community Program Coordinator Ida Shenderovich, the Sukkot festivities involved a whopping total of 50 children of different ages. "Since this was the first time celebrating this holiday for most of the youngest Sunday school students, we tried to make it even more colorful and interesting so that it would be a memorable experience for them," explained Ida Shenderovich.

The teachers of the Sunday school also explained the traditions of Sukkot to the young enthusiasts, after which they enjoyed a variety of fun contests.

Thanks to the involvement of Rabbi Alperowitz, the holiday passed in full accordance with the traditions of Sukkot. This is particularly valuable because the Sukkot celebration also involved many children from mixed families (where only one parent is Jewish), who are not sufficiently aware of Jewish tradition. "I believe that learning the traditions and how to respect them helps our children to understand the spirit of the Jewish people and embrace them."

The Jewish community of Mogilev - a city with a population of 356,457 in the last census - is a proud member of the Association of Jewish Communities of Belarus. As such, it is also affiliated with the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS and Baltic Countries, headed by Lev Leviev.

Source:

http://www.fjc.ru/news/newsArticle.asp?AID=754581

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