SAMARA, Russia – Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar paid a visit to Samara where, among other activities, he met with the local Jewish community and top government officials. He attended meetings involving Governor of Samara Region Vladimir Artyakov, Mayor Victor Tarkhov, Chief Rabbi of Samara Shlomo Deutch, and Jewish lay leaders.
Discussions with the Governor concerned strengthening inter-religious and inter-ethnic relations in the region, the construction of a Synagogue, and development of the local Jewish community. Governor Artyakov also pledged his support for the Jewish community of Samara, its development, and the Synagogue's construction. Mayor Tarkhov echoed support for a new Synagogue and supported allocating a new land plot for a Jewish cemetery, very welcome considering that space for Jewish burials in Samara has been insufficient for the past 24 years.
This visit fell on the 3-year anniversary of the passing of Roman Beigel, who formerly led the local Jewish community but was never able to realize his dream of constructing a Great Choral Synagogue. After announcing that a new Torah scroll would be prepared in his memory and that both the new scroll and Synagogue should be finished in about two years, Chief Rabbi Lazar wrote the first letter of the Torah. He later participated in a Brit Mila ceremony for the son of Rabbi Meir Fischer, a Chabad Lubavitch emissary serving in the nearby city of Togliatti.
The Jewish community of Samara is a member of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia.
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