ODESSA, Ukraine – A gala evening honoring one decade of successfully educating a new generation of Jewish youth at the Ohr Avner Chabad educational network was held on January 5. The Chabad Shomrei Shabbos Synagogue of Odessa was the venue for the event. The celebration included the entire staff of the network of schools that comprise Ohr Avner Chabad in Odessa, as well as supporters and friends of Ohr Avner Chabad.
Ten years ago, Ohr Avner Chabad of Odessa was established with the opening of a small kindergarten and a school of just 57 students. Today, it is an entire network of kindergartens and day schools located in various locations across the city, providing a Jewish education to nearly 600 children.
Mr. Yakov Shostak, the director of the educational network, opened the event with a toast to the teachers. Participants then watched a pre-taped message from Chief Rabbi of Odessa and Southern Ukraine Avraham Wolf, who was participating at a convention in Dneprodzerzhinsk. Rabbi Wolf congratulated the entire team of teachers and staff members. He said that every day he thanks G-d for having the honor to work alongside such wonderful people, who have formed a remarkably close-knit and cohesive team.
In the course of the evening, there were many congratulation speeches made, especially by staff and teachers at the school, as well as alumni. Participants enjoyed a video on the history of the educational network and, at the end of the evening, all teachers and staff received a memento of the event. In addition, the community’s leadership presented special awards and gifts to those individuals who have been with the Ohr Avner Chabad network since its inception a decade ago.
The institutions of Ohr Avner Chabad Odessa are affiliated with the largest Jewish educational network existing in the Former Soviet Union, which is sponsored by the Ohr Avner Foundation and underwritten Mr. Lev Leviev.
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