The Jewish community of Moscow, Russia greeted Chanukah with a Chanukiah candle-lighting ceremony on a square near the Kremlin. Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov lit the candles. Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar congratulated Jews everywhere and conveyed congratulations on behalf of Russian President Putin. Congratulations were echoed by Mayor Luzhkov and singer Yosef Kobzon.
Many Jews of Borovichi saw a Chanukiah for the first time when they gathered in the synagogue for song and dance, doughnuts and latkes. This year's Chanukah coincided with the community's eleventh anniversary. Many local Jews then went to Novgorod Veliky, which hosted Chanukah celebrations for local Jews and those from surrounding communities. The festive concert was held in the city's Kremlin.
In Bryansk, over 50 children from Tzivos Hashem carved their own wooden Menorahs, pressed olive oil and were told the story of Chanukah by youth leaders. This year, for the first time in Bryansk, Chanukah was celebrated in the city's center, with the lighting of a three-meter high Chanukiah. Over 300 people gathered beside the Youth Theater for the event, which ended in a vibrant firework display.
Jewish youth of Buinaksk are preparing a special festive Chanukah program for elderly and disabled persons. Though there is no local ensemble, local Jewish children stage performances for holidays. This year, they brought the holiday to homes of 25 homebound members of the Jewish community.
The Jewish community of Chelyabinsk greeted Chanukah with a concert, featuring Ohr Avner schoolchildren and the 'Simcha' Klezmer Band from Kazan. The celebration continued outside, as community members moved towards the massive Chanukiah set up in the city's center.
Over 100 people in Kemerovo celebrated Chanukah with Rabbi David Debresser, who may become the city's first rabbi. Rabbi Debresser lit a Chanukiah candle and spoke about the meaning of the holiday. The Central Music School also hosted a Chanukah party and concert, with a turnout of about 200 people.
Kostroma celebrated Chanukah with candle-lighting ceremonies, a children's concert, a festive dinner, contests, and an English-language play, written by a local schoolteacher. Sunday School students enjoyed a dinner and concert by Moscow's "Magen David" Duet. Community members also celebrated Chanukah with heart disease patients at the city hospital, with candle-lighting, fruit, juice and doughnuts.
For the first time in 80 years, Jews of Krasnodar celebrated Chanukah with a rabbi. This was the first community event for the newly-arrived Rabbi Shneur Segal, with a turnout of about 100 people.
The Jewish community presented Krasnoyarsk with a four-meter high Chanukiah made of ice, possible due to the financial support of Diksi Design Company and Kras Air General Director, Boris Abramovich.
Members of the Nizhny Novgorod Jewish community played an active role in Chanukah celebrations. Students of the Tomchei Tmimim Ohr Menachem Yeshiva visited the homes of elderly and disabled Jews, in order to bring them Chanukah packages. Jewish schoolchildren regularly visited the synagogue.
Jews of Novocherkassk and Taganrog celebrated together. This year, three rabbis from the Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva in Rostov-on-Don led events, many local Jews also celebrating Chanukah in Rostov.
In Novorossiysk, children competed to make the best Chanukiah. These menorahs were displayed for the community and three children received prizes and diplomas at an Awards Ceremony.
The largest Chanukiah in Siberia was set up in the central square of Novosibirsk, where a candle-lighting ceremony followed prayers in the synagogue, a festive concert and fireworks. Among those who participated in the celebration was the President of the FJC CIS, Lev Leviev.
Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar and the FJC CIS President Lev Leviev celebrated with Jews in Perm, lighting candles of the Chanukiah in the city's center, giving a speech and attending a concert at the Municipal Palace of Culture. The 'Pirchei Russia' band was among those who performed.
"The Warm House Celebration" in Shakhty entailed that Chanukah celebrations by community members in the private apartment of one of its members. This year, the party involved about 20 people.
Jews of Tambov celebrated Chanukah with a colorful fancy-dress concert, organized by Jewish schoolchildren. At the end of a performance the children were presented Chanukah-gelt. Adult members of the Jewish community received Chanukah packages provided by the FJC Russia.
Over 270 Jews in Tula gathered for Chanukah celebrations, with speeches, a candle-lighting ceremony, national dances by Sunday School children, and a performance by the 'Alevai' Klezmer Band.
For the first time in the history of Russia's Bashkir region, a Chanukiah was set up on the central square of Ufa and a candle-lighting ceremony was held. Heartfelt dances, fireworks and doughnuts followed the official part of the ceremony. The Chaya Mushka Kindergarten also put on a Chanukah show, where children staged part of the tragedy "Chana's seven sons", read Hebrew poems and sang Jewish songs.
For the first time ever in Vladivostok, Chanukah was celebrated with a performance by the Pacific Ocean Philharmonic Orchestra, followed by presentations by other community groups. The candle-lighting ceremony involved over 50 community members, as well as Mayor Yuri Kopylov, who was given the honor of lighting the seven-meter high Chanukiah. Three local television stations covered the event.
At the major Chanukah event in Volgograd, local Jews listened to public officials and community leaders, followed by performances by Jewish schoolchildren, doughnuts and fruit. Children also had lessons with Tzivos Hashem volunteers, where they learned to make dreidels, bake latkes, and extract olive oil.
The Jewish community of Volzhsky carried out pre-Chanukah events, which included a Chanukah seminar, held jointly with the Jewish community of Svetly Yar. This involved both a lecture series and practical lessons, not to mention a final kosher dinner.
The circus in Yekaterinburg hosted this year's Chanukah celebration, beginning with speeches by community leaders, government officials and renowned actor Anatoly Brodsky. This was followed by circus stunts, the candle-lighting ceremony, blessings, and a performance by actor Yan Arlazorov.
The Opera and Ballet Theater of Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine hosted a concert organized by the local Jewish community, the JDC, the Israeli Cultural Center, and the Jewish Agency. Jewish youth continued the celebration at a discotheque in the theater lobby.
Jews of Donetsk came out for the candle-lighting ceremony at the nine-meter high Chanukiah on the city's central square and for a concert featuring the 'Pirchei Donetsk' Choir, 'Simcha' Girls' Dance Ensemble, and a special Chanukah play with characters appearing one by one from a "miracle box".
Odessa hosted the celebration "Light the World", which gathered hundreds of Jews of all ages from throughout the district. Another event was held in the Chabad Cheder, with a festive concert, the game "Wheel of Fortune", and a Chanukah dinner.
Chernigov's Jewish community welcomed guests from the nearby towns of Nezhin, Shchors, Sosnitsa, and Priluki for a concert, featuring the lighting of the Chanukiah, a Chanukah play, a Klezmer Band and the 'Golden Men's Choir'. A raffle for a silver Chanukiah concluded the evening.
In Lugansk, the community enjoyed lighting the Chanukiah's candles on the central square, as well as Chanukah doughnuts, Jewish music and fireworks. The Chanukah concert held in the Great Choral Synagogue of Kirovograd was attended by more than 500 persons.
A festive concert in Makeyevka was widely attended and featured a play, humorous contests, prizes, and a Chanukiah lighting. Many local Jews then traveled to Donetsk to join in their celebrations. A celebration was also held in Elista, Kalmykia for a small group of just 15 Jews.
In Belgorod-Dnestrovsky, Chanukah events were previewed with a seminar on Chanukah. Likewise, a Chanukah seminar was held in Tsakhkazor, Armenia for students from Yerevan and Vanadzor.
The Jewish community of Vilnius, Lithuania turned out to witness the lighting of the fourth candle of the Chanukiah, with participation by President of Lithuania, Rolandas Paskas.
The largest theater in Almaty, Kazakhstan hosted celebrations on the fifth day of Chanukah, with a concert, competitions, Chanukah workshops, and a children's art exhibition. In attendance were the Israeli Ambassador to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Moshe Kimchi, and President of Kazakhstan's Association of Jewish Communities, Galina Roitberg.
Needy members of the Jewish community in Baku, Azerbaijan received packages for Chanukah, while others enjoyed the lighting of the Chanukiah, and fruits and sweets in the synagogue. Celebrations were held without immense joy, due to the recent loss of former Azerbaijan President Haider Aliyev.
The Jewish community of Tashkent, Uzbekistan celebrated Chanukah in the Russian Drama Theater with a performance by famous Israeli singer Alexander Rehels. A separate candle-lighting ceremony for the fifth day of Chanukah took place at the home of Chief Rabbi of Uzbekistan David Gurevich.
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