The city of Omsk has a population of 1.3 million, of which about 10,000 people are Jewish. Omsk is situated on Irtysh River in the hart of Siberia, 2555 km East of Moscow.

Jews first started settling down here in the mid-19th century. The Jewish community of Omsk was formed by the migrants, among whom were many Cantonists, sent to this region to serve upon the orders of Tsar Nikolai I.

By the beginning of the 20th century, the city had two synagogues, a Cheder and a public Jewish library. Two Jewish cemeteries exist in Omsk until this day. For a short period following the 1917 Revolution, the city also had a Zionist organization and a functioning Maccabi club. read more