Today, the opening bell sounded in over 131 Jewish kindergartens and day schools throughout the CIS. Whether it is an institution that has existed for a decade or one that is just being launched, this day holds extraordinary excitement for all involved – pupils, parents and teachers.
With youth returning from a good and healthy respite at 'Gan Israel' camps and in Israel-experience programs they participated in this summer, many are now ready to continue their education at Jewish institutions belonging to the Ohr Avner Chabad educational network, which just continues to blossom along with their host communities.
New Ohr Avner Chabad schools and pre-schools have opened. In the Belarus city of Mogilev, a new day school is opening with 51 pupils enrolled for its first season. Five new Jewish kindergartens have been opened in FJC communities of Pervomaisk, Ukraine and three Russian cities – Tomsk, Dzerzhinsk and Krasnodar. This is an impressive undertaking for each of these communities and especially so for the Jewish community of Kuba, Azerbaijan, where 41 new pupils will benefit from a Jewish education thanks to the efforts of Rabbi Yona Yakubov, a Chabad Lubavitch emissary who has been serving in the region for the past six months.
Enrollment is up at many schools, with some even doubling their number of pupils. New students have joined educational institutions run by member communities of the Federation of Jewish Communities – in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic States, Caucasus and Central Asian countries formerly part of the Former Soviet Union. The number of schoolchildren has risen to 14,500.
The Ohr Avner Chabad Day School in Baku is one such instance where the rising number of students reflects the successful growth of Jewish life in the region. As well, Jewish schools and kindergartens opened last September in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, and Kyrgyzstan are among those enjoying a solid boost in their student body, with local Jews having witnessed the success of these institutions and benefits of local children receiving a Jewish education and re-gaining their national heritage.
This year during opening school ceremonies on September 1st, popularly known in the Former Soviet Union as the 'Day of Knowledge', Ohr Avner Chabad schools and kindergartens will be paying tribute to children who have died or suffered from terrorist acts in Beslan and elsewhere by saying a special prayer for these victims and their families. As in other schools throughout Russia, Jewish schools across Russia have also improved security measures for their buildings.
The FJC gratefully acknowledges the generous support and funding of the Ohr Avner Foundation for operation and maintenance of 71 day schools and 60 kindergartens throughout the Former Soviet Union, in addition to numerous yeshivas, universities and Sunday schools operated by FJC member communities across the region.
Named in memory of Avner Leviev, the Ohr Avner Foundation was established and is funded by Mr. Lev and Olga Leviev.
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