Sochi is a rather young and popular resort town, located at the western foothills of the Caucasus Mountains. Founded in 1898, it is attractive for tourists since it is situated on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and offers visitors mineral springs, attractive coastal and mountain scenery, long sandy beaches, and a sub-tropical climate.

Hundreds of thousands of vacationers from Russia and former Soviet republics visit Sochi annually, with its dozens of hotels, tourist attractions, campsites and over 50 health resorts. Its streets and gardens are filled with exotic sub-tropical trees and shrubs.

Greater Sochi, established in 1961, is a sprawling community of resorts, stretching for some 146 kilometers along the coast. The region also boasts the Kavkazsky Nature Reserve, established in 1924 and comprising 2,633 square kilometers.

As Russia's version of the French Riviera, this city is famous as a summer getaway for people ranging from students to prominent figures such as President Vladimir Putin, whose summer residence is here.

A relatively cosmopolitan area, Sochi’s population comprises representatives of over 70 different ethnic groups. Of the 329,000 local residents, there are estimated to be approximately 5,000 Jews.

Today, Chief Rabbi of Sochi Arie Edelkopf and community Chairman Isaak Shvartzburd head the local Jewish community. read more