KALININGRAD, Russia – Jews of Kaliningrad celebrate a new Torah scroll being brought into the synagogue. This is the first scroll in the contemporary history of Jews in Kaliningrad that has been purchased for the local Jewish community. The entire congregation, old and young alike, turned out to witness this occasion and the new scroll, as the sun hung low in the sky bringing warmth to the participants.
Like a bride, the scroll was carried into the synagogue under a Chupa. Music played by an orchestra accompanied the festive procession, spreading cheer throughout the streets of the city.
Upon being brought into the synagogue, many local Jews shed tears of joy to observe the jovial dances with the Torah scroll. This was the first ever experience of this kind for most community members.
The Chief Rabbi of Kaliningrad Region, David Shvedik, was the first to congratulate the Jewish community upon receiving its new Torah scroll. He encouraged local Jews to re-connect with their Jewish roots, which is especially important in the period leading up to the High Holidays. Rabbi Shvedik also raised a ‘lechaim’ for the perpetual relationship between the Jewish people and the Torah, which has helped them to survive as a nation, despite uncountable miseries and persecution.
The Torah scroll came as a prized gift to the community in Kaliningrad, with funding mainly coming from Rabbi Shvedik and a number of donations from individual community members. Until this time, the community had been using a Torah scroll borrowed from another community.
The head of the regional department of the Jewish Agency, Yitzhak Starikov, also took the opportunity to congratulate Jews of Kaliningrad Region.
A Klezmer band, headed by active community member Zhenya Kucher, pleased the audience with famous Jewish melodies, as did Emanuil Brodsky, a well-known singer from the local Jewish community. The evening's merriment continued with numerous dances and festivities.
At present, the Jewish community of Kaliningrad is also preparing for the construction of a synagogue on Oktyabrskaya Street, the site where the oldest synagogue stood before World War Two.
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