Four orphans receive foodstuffs from Jewish Agency Treasurer Chaim Chesler
photo credit: Israel Sun

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The Jewish Agency has undertaken to help four orphans in distress who made aliyah from Belarus. The four brothers, 21-year old Alex, 13-year old Nikolai, 10-year old Andrei, and 9-year old Dennis were orphaned following the death of their mother from cancer several months ago.

This heart-rending situation was first exposed last week by Yediot Aharonot. The article stated, among other things, that the four are living alone in a rented apartment in Tel Aviv, in deplorable conditions, with no electricity or water.

Following publication of the story, the Jewish Agency has undertaken to assist the orphans and pay their rent for a year.

Jewish Agency Treasurer Chaim Chesler, informed the brothers of the decision this week, and brought them food to fill their refrigerator. "Unfortunately, we cannot bring your mother back to life," he said, "but we will make every effort to ease the pain of being orphaned and strengthen your sense that are not alone in Israel."

At the end of last week, an attempt was made to set fire to the ancient synagogue in Chelyabinsk in Central Russia, which has recently been undergoing complete renovation. An investigation revealed that a group of unknown persons entered the courtyard of the synagogue in the middle of the night and set fire to building materials that were scattered around. As a result of the fire, the synagogue window as well as the electricity and telephone cables were damaged.

"Fortunately, residents of a neighboring building noticed the fire and called the fire department, who managed to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading into the building," said Vladislav Roitblat, Jewish Agency emissary in Chelyabinsk. To date, no one has claimed responsibility for the incident.

Following the arson attempt, the Chelyabinsk branch of the Russian Jewish Congress, which is renovating the synagogue, placed round-the-clock security on the building and filed a complaint with the police. Roitblat added that the incident has forced the Jewish Congress to re-examine future security arrangements for the synagogue, which was not prepared for anti-Semitic attacks such as this. The Congress has now decided to install a modern security system at the site, including closed circuit TV.

The Chelyabinsk synagogue is more than 100 years old. During the Soviet era, the building was converted into a prosthesis-manufacturing. Thanks to the initiative of the Russian Jewish Congress, extensive renovation work has begun on the building which is due to be completed in time for the re-opening of the synagogue at the end of next month. The Congress also intends to establish a Jewish community center on the site, which will house all the Jewish organizations in the city, including the Jewish Agency.

Chelyabinsk is located in central Russia, in the southern part of the Ural mountains. The Jewish Agency's FSU Department estimates that the city, which has an overall population of more than 1.1 million, is home to 10,000 Jews. The Jewish Agency runs a Hebrew ulpan in the city which is attended by 150 students, a youth club, and aliyah preparatory groups. Within the next few days, following the return of local teachers from a training seminar in Israel, a course on Jewish identity will also open.

Three members of Knesset from different spectra of Israeli politics are experiencing together another kind of Jewish life. Members of Knesset Moshe Arens (Likud), Yosef Paritzky (Shinui), and Meir Porush (United Torah) met this week on a plane to Riga within the framework of a Jewish Agency initiative to meet senior representatives from the Israeli society with representatives of Jewish communities in the former Soviet Union. The three MKs, who come from three totally different Israeli political perspectives came away very moved from a meeting with the local Jewish community which is making an effort to reconnect with its roots.

The MKs visited Ukraine and Latvia accompanied by the Jewish Agency Director General, Aaron Abramovich. They began their visit at the beginning of the week in Riga, the Latvian capital. During their visit in Latvia the MKs became acquainted with the activities of the Jewish Agency in the Baltic States and had a number of official meetings with the Latvian Jewish community leadership as well as with local government officials. The head of the Jewish Agency's delegation in the Baltic States, Ephraim Meidan reports that the MKs were very impressed with their visit at a Hebrew Language Learning Center (ulpan) and also participated in a farewell party which was organized for youth who are immigrating to Israel within the framework of the Na'aleh, Selah and Chalom programs. Similarly the MKs also visited the Valley of Death in Riga, where the Nazis murdered the city's 35,000 Jews. At the end of the visit to Riga, Moshe Arens MK, who himself was born in Latvia and grew up in Riga was asked about his impressions of the new modern city in which he grew up. Arens answered "It is a beautiful city but it is first and foremost a cemetery. None of my classmates who studied with me at the Jewish day school before World War II survived the Nazi death machine. I relate to every Jew here as a Holocaust survivor and expect him to emigrate to Israel in the near future."

After their visit in Riga, the MKs continued to Ukraine. The head of the Jewish Agency's delegation in Ukraine, Eli Yitzhaki reports that during the visit MK Paritzky accompanied the youth who are immigrating to Israel within the framework of the Jewish Agency's youth programs. MK Paritzky was moved to tears when he witnessed the emotional farewell between the children and their parents and said "Somebody who has not seen the Jewish youth immigrating to Israel with fire in their eyes misses one of the most moving experiences of their life."

All of the MKs were very impressed by the scope and quality of the Jewish Agency's activities and stated that they will support Jewish Agency programs within the framework of relevant parliamentary activities. "You perform the most important Zionist activity and Israeli leaders, Ministers and MKs have to come here to witness Zionism in action," said MK Paritzky.

Hundreds of Jewish women from 30 countries around the world will convene next week at the International Lion of Judah Conference of the United Jewish Communities. The convention will open this Monday at the David Inter-Continental Hotel in Tel Aviv.

The conference, whose theme is "Come to the Table," will provide an opportunity for Lions of Judah from all over the world to meet and explore crucial issues confronting them as Jewish women and community builders at the start of the 21st century.

"One of the goals of this critical conference is building relationships among Jewish women who share common concerns, common dreams, and common commitment whether they live in San Diego, Buenos Aires, Marseilles, or Netanya," said Becky Newman, Conference Chair and President of the United Jewish Communities' National Women's Constituency. Topics on the agenda include women's and family health, Arab-Israeli peace, technology and communication, justice and advocacy, and women's leadership, empowerment and advancement at all levels of society. Knesset Members Naomi Chazan (Meretz), Tsippi Livni (Likud), Limor Livnat (Likud), Yael Dayan (One Israel), and Naomi Blumenthal (Likud) will participate in the various workshops.

Conference participants will also visit Jewish Agency and JDC program sites, and meet leaders in Israel's public and private sectors.

Expected speakers include Prime Minister Ehud Barak; Minister for Regional Development Shimon Peres; President Moshe Katsav; Rabbi Michael Melchior, Minister for Israeli Society and World Jewish Communities; Speaker of the Knesset Avraham Burg; and First Lady Nava Barak.

The Israeli Lions work on behalf of social and educational projects focusing on women and girls, such as help for girls at-risk and the advancement of women.

About 100 of the Lions arrived in Turkey this week for a four-day visit prior to coming in Israel. According to Avi Mizrachi, Jewish Agency emissary in Turkey, the itinerary will include visits to Jewish community sites in Istanbul: a day school, a home for the elderly, a hospital, and a shelter for the homeless. The group was greeted by President of the Turkish Jewish Community, Rifat Saban, American Consul-General Frank Urbancic, and Israeli Consul-General, Amira Arnon.

• $25 per day - is the cost of the participation of a Jewish youth in a summer camp, which the Jewish Agency operates in the former Soviet Union.

• $10,000 - allocation of the Jewish Agency in 2000 to the project "Youth Rebuilding Beer Sheva" which is operated by the Community Advocacy Association, which gives youth in situations of danger and distress information about their rights in the fields of education welfare and health.

• $2,191,000 - is the budget of the Jewish Agency for the year 2000 for operating the Kiryat Yearim Youth Village outside of Jerusalem. There are 160 youth at the village, half of whom are new immigrants from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union and the other half are veteran Israeli youngsters.

• 320,641 immigrants from the former Soviet Union arrived in Israel from January until the end of August. 12,298 came from Russia and 11,667 from Ukraine.

• 11,666 Jewish youth from all over the world, who participated in various educational programs in Israel, received information on aliyah and study opportunities in Israel within the framework of information fairs and tours organized by the Aliyah Movement of the Jewish Agency.

• 1,525 new immigrants arrived in Israel this week. 1,300 from the FSU and the rest from France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Holland, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru, India, Ethiopia and the USA.

"Between the 2005 and 2010 the majority of Jewish youth will be living in Israel. This will be the result of high birth rate in Israel, increased aliyah from the FSU, and assimilation in the Diaspora," said Alan Hoffman, Director General of the Jewish Agency's Jewish Zionist Education Department at the opening of the school year this week. According to Hoffman, there are currently 3.5 million Jewish youngsters beneath the age of 18 throughout the Jewish world -- 1.9 million in the Diaspora and 1.6 million in Israel.

Speaking at the opening of the school year in Israel, Hoffman stated that the Jewish Agency's Education Department will this year focus on preparing a comprehensive high-school program in Israel designed to increase the knowledge of Israeli youngsters about the Jewish people and Jewish communities in the Diaspora. At the same time, initiatives will be taken to increase the knowledge of Jewish youngsters through informal after-school education. According to Hoffman, a decision on the subject was taken as part of JAFI's strategic planning process.

Other activities initiated by the Jewish Agency during the coming school year in Israel will focus on intensifying educational activity among Israeli youngsters who in the past have participated in meetings with Jewish youth from the Diaspora. According to Hoffman, some 4,000 Israeli youngsters meet Diaspora youth each year during their visits to Israel as part of the Israel Experience and Discovery programs.

Hoffman added that 180 teachers had been sent by the Jewish Agency to teach in Jewish schools all over the world. They will teach Hebrew and Jewish subjects during the current school year. In addition, 140 emissaries will help to enhance Jewish identity among youngsters in the Diaspora, strengthen the bond with the State of Israel, and build up local leadership in the youth movements, student and youth organizations, and community centers. Another 30 senior educators from the Diaspora, who are currently completing a year training program at Bar Ilan University and Hebrew University in conjunction with JAFI's Education Department, will go back to their communities to further Jewish education.

Despite the fact that the formal education system shuts down for the summer vacation, informal education continued unabated. More than 10,000 teenagers came to Israel this summer for an educational visit lasting several weeks as part of the Jewish Agency's Israel Experience program. An addition 1,000 young emissaries from Israel went the FSU and North America to serve as counselors in summer camps attended by some 150,000 youngsters.

While Israeli children and Diaspora youngsters in the northern hemisphere are now preparing for a new school year, Jewish youngsters living "down under" -- from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and South America -- are now approaching the end of their school year, which begins in February-March. Some of them have already begun preparations for a visit to Israel on one of JAFI's education programs.

Twenty-one first-graders from Modi'in's Reform community last week began their school career at the Ofek state school. The pupils will study according to a special curriculum prepared by the Progressive Movement in Israel authorized by the Ministry of Education. Among other activities, the pupils will have a morning assembly twice a week, will participate in egalitarian "Kabbalat Shabbat" and festival ceremonies in which both boys and girls will light candles, and will learn about Jewish heroes in a creative fashion, Based on biblical and other sources.

The "Yozmah" (meaning "initiative, but also a Hebrew acronym for Contemporary Jewry - Jewish Heritage) community's woman rabbi, Kinneret Shiryon, says that this is the first attempt to integrate a Reform education program in the state education system: "The Reform community has been running five pre-schools in Modi'in for the past three years, whose special educational approach has been received very positively by the parents. This year we opened our first 1st grade as a continuation of the pre-school program, in which studies are conducted in a special track within the state school."

Rabbi Shiryon visited the class on the first day of school in order to welcome the children and explain the significance of the "new adventure on which they are embarking." During her visit, Rabbi Shiryon attended the school's official opening ceremony, at the request of the school principal, and welcomed all the school's pupils at the start of the new year. "This is day of many new beginnings - the new school year, children starting first grade, and the opening of the "Yozmah" class in the school. The 'shehechiyanu' blessing in Jewish tradition symbolizes beginning, and I am inviting you to join me in this blessing."

Rabbi Asher Hirsch, president of the World Movement for Progressive Judaism and member of the Jewish Agency Executive, welcomed the initiative and said that "just as the State of Israel aspires to merge the exiles, we, too, aspire to merge cultures and world views within Judaism. Judaism has always been based upon diversity and encouraged pluralism of views and interpretations, and I am pleased that people from different backgrounds are cooperating in an effort to instill Jewish knowledge and values and are encouraging people to preserve the Jewish spark."

The first Jewish school in the town of Khabarovsk in Russia's Far East opened last week, sponsored by the Or Avner Foundation in conjunction with the local Jewish community. It is the first Jewish school since the town was established in 1858. The first group of pupils will include 47 youngsters in grades 1 through 10. The curriculum will combine Jewish and secular studies.

The festive opening ceremony was attended by Rabbi Yaakov Santkov, the school rabbi from the Chabad movement; Micha Spiegel, head of the Khabarovsk Jewish Agency delegation, among them local Jewish businessmen, among them Novrod Mamdov, who donated the funds to establish the school; representatives of Russia's Ministry of Education; and Jewish community leaders.

Within the next few days Spiegel will meet with the school principal, Sophia Levinson, to discuss ways of cooperation between the Jewish Agency and the school: "We intend to involve the pupils in Jewish Agency educational and cultural activities and we will also examine the possibility of assisting the teaching staff in various areas," said Spiegel.

Spiegel also said that the Ministry of Education's regional office had officially recognized the school and allocated funds towards its operation. Sophia Levinson, a veteran teacher and key community activist, will be the school principal, and Rabbi Yaakov Santkov will be responsible for student admissions and the curriculum.

"The school will focus on the formal Russian educational curriculum system, that emphasize the natural sciences, math, English and computers," said Rabbi Santkov. "However, the curriculum will also include classes in Jewish tradition, Hebrew language, and Jewish history and culture."

According to Santkov, the school's students will be prepared for continued high school or university education in whichever country they choose to study: "After studying in a Jewish environment, those students who wish to make aliyah will find it easier to settle into the Israeli education system, and those who wish to continue their studies in Russia will be equipped with the knowledge and diplomas that will allow them to do so".

Khabarovsk lies on the banks of the Amur River, in Russia's extreme East, on the border with China. According to the Jewish Agency's FSU Department estimates there are some 11,200 Jews in the city today out of an overall population of 601,000 people. The local Jewish population is made up of two streams: the main sector, "Kehilat Mizrach," which also includes the Chabad movement, and a relatively small group, "Kehilat Shalom," comprised primarily of secular intellectuals.

The Jewish Agency runs a Hebrew ulpan in the city, which has 350 students, a youth club and various aliyah preparatory groups. Since the beginning of the year, 540 olim from Khabarovsk have arrived in Israel.

Like their peers all over the world, Jewish youngsters in Montreal traded in their skateboards and swimming gear for pens and pencils as they went back to school this week. Students at the Maimonides School returned to a demanding study program taught in three languages: French, as a mother tongue, English as a first language, and Hebrew for Jewish studies. The curriculum includes a full complement of Jewish and secular studies.

Encompassing over 1,000 students from kindergarten though high school, Maimonides primarily serves Montreal's Sephardic community; it is Canada's only Sephardic school of such magnitude. The school has two campuses, in the Cote St. Luc and Ville St. Laurent neighborhoods, which have a concentration of Sephardic Jews.

Montreal's Sephardic community numbers some 28,000 out of a total Jewish population of 95,000. Most are of Moroccan origin, about one-fifth former Israelis. Their native tongue is French - a fact that enables them to serve as a bridge between the Quebecois and the Ashkenazim.

The 30-year old institution is also attended by a minority of Ashkenazim, those whose parents want them to receive a tri-cultural education. About 10% of the student body are Russian immigrants, because French law requires that immigrants attend a school whose first language is French. "We teach them Judaism and Zionism and help them, as well as their families, integrate into the Jewish community," says Rabbi Moise Ohana, dean of Maimonides.

While the school is Orthodox, it is open to all Jews, "Our approach is warm, open, and pluralistic. The school's goal is to preserve the Sephardic heritage; even more significantly to combat assimilation and intermarriage," adds Rabbi Ohana.

The school has been highly successful in achieving this goal. Mixed marriages in Montreal are today negligible - down from 40% twenty years ago.

Egon Gal, lecturer in philosophy at the University of Komenius in Slovakia, arrived this week in Israel to participate in an international conference for professionals in Jewish education. More than 400 Jewish educators from 31 countries and from Israel, participated in the conference that was organized by the Jewish Agency's Education Department.

Gal is a key activist in the area of Jewish education in the Slovakian Jewish community, which numbers a mere 3,500. Of those, 350 live in the capital, Bratislava. Within his efforts to strengthen Jewish identity among the younger generation in Slovakia, Gal organizes seminars on the study of Jewish history and culture, and "Maccabiah" sports competitions for the city's 50 Jewish youngsters.

The Jewish educator also provides social assistance, and organizes conferences and Jewish festivals for the elderly members of the community. According to Gal, participation in this conference will help him acquire new tools for the development of Jewish education in Slovakia, and will strengthen his connections with professionals and educators from other communities worldwide.

Gal noted that there is no formal Jewish education in Slovakia other than a single kindergarten run by the Habad movement in the capital, catering to just 10 children. There are one synagogue and two cemeteries in Slovakia; one of them in memory of Hatam Sofer, and there is one kosher restaurant.

Hundreds of young olim from the FSU, graduates of the Jewish Agency's Selah (Students before Parents) and Chalom (Vocational Training) programs will meet next week at the Ibim Student Village at Shaar Hanegev, to mark five years since the program opened.

The Selah and Chalom programs are designed for youngsters between the ages of 17-20, who have finished high school or started academic studies in their countries of origin. After a year of preparation for higher education, some of the students enter institutes of higher education all over the country, while other begin technological study programs that train them in various vocations.

Since the programs began, the Jewish Agency has brought 4,400 youngsters from all over the FSU to study in Israel. Some of them have continued on to university, while others have been enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces. 850 youngsters have just arrived in Israel for this year's Selah/Chalom program. Following the successful absorption of the students in Israel, many of their families have also made aliyah.

The Aliyah Department had recently established a graduate department, designed to provide support, advice, and assistance for program graduates even after they have completed the program, when they are drafted into the IDF or begun higher education. The department also maintains contact with the youngsters' parents still living in the FSU.

During the event, there will be a memorial ceremony for Selah graduate Alexei Naikov, who made aliyah from Kharkov in Ukraine in 1996 and then enlisted in an IDF combat unit. Alexei was killed two years ago in a terrorist incident in the south of Israel, when shielding with his body a bus taking children to school.

In an attempt to reach out to young adults who are not affiliated with the Jewish community and organized Jewish activities in Buenos Aires, the Jewish Agency established a network of aliyah coordinators in the city's suburbs.

This initiative came in response to the widespread financial difficulties that continue to plague the country, the growing manifestations of anti-Semitism expressed in acts of vandalism, desecration of graves, and inflammatory articles in the local press.

The economic crisis hit the Jewish community very hard: unemployment grew considerably and some 10% of the Jews are now under the poverty line, many of them depending on the community for food and survival. The size of donations to Israel has dropped considerably, many Jewish schools have closed, and the range of services provided by AMIA, the Jewish community federation, has declined significantly.

"Considering the difficult situation, the Jewish Agency expanded its outreach to young Jewish adults, age 25-35, living in the Buenos Aires suburbs", says Batya Ehrlich, responsible for encouraging immigration from Latin America at the Jewish Agency. Six Jewish students from the program, set-up Israel information booths in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. Jewish Agency emissary Reuven Companietz reports that thousands of Jewish youth received information regarding immigration and absorption programs in Israel. In addition, a supplement to the La Luz Jewish magazine was distributed in all the suburbs.

JAFI has developed numerous programs for olim from Argentina, with special emphasis on youth. Aliyah activities include lectures, a hot-line for questions, special programs for students, support groups for youngsters interested in making aliyah and special activities for young people who returned from Israel Experience programs. Among other things, the Jewish Agency organizes exploratory tours of Israel for those considering aliyah, providing them with the chance to explore employment opportunities, and residence and study options.

The Jewish Agency's Kibbutz Program Center in New York has announced the creation of a variety of new programs to encourage tourism to Israel.

"We take people out of the tourist bubble, enabling them to meet Israeli peers for social and intellectual encounters. The fun-filled informal educational programs leave participants with Israeli friends as well as wonderful memories," says aliyah emissary, Dr. Joel Magid, who serves as the director of the Kibbutz Program Center.

The program is especially designed for specific population groups: families with school-aged children, young honeymoon couples embarking on a Jewish life together, older married couples who wish to explore their Jewish world, interfaith couples who can experience Israel while sharing with other couples ways of living together, singles seeking a Jewish holiday, and seniors interested in studying Hebrew.

It will soon be possible to "green the desert" through the genetic engineering and genetic marking of trees capable of withstanding the dry conditions of the desert says Professor Arieh Altman, Head of the Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture at the Hebrew University's Faculty of Agricultural Food and Environmental Quality Sciences.

Scientists at the Institute have succeeded in isolating proteins in the Euphratica poplar tree capable of preserving the activities of its cells in dry and saline conditions. Prof. Altman, Dr. Oded Shusaiof, and their colleagues have succeeded in stimulating in tree seedlings higher production of these proteins helping the trees withstand severe desert conditions.

The Hebrew University research is very significant in light of the dire forecasts of steady global population increase. Scientists predict that within 50 years dryness will increase significantly on the earth's surface as a result of global warming.

Experiments carried out by the Hebrew University scientists demonstrated that bio-engineered trees could solve part of the problem. Moreover, experiments conducted in other countries where such trees were planted on saline land, and in proximity to pollutant industrial areas, proved highly successful. The tremendous benefits to industrialized nations stemming from these researches encouraged the European Community to join the cooperative research effort.

More disappointment in the Peace Process. President Bill Clinton failed to moderate the stand of Palestinian Authority head Yasser Arafat during the UN's Millennium Summit presently taking place in New York. As part of the summit, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak met with many world leaders and formally expressed Israel's positive attitude toward the rights of Christians and Moslems in Israel. Nonetheless, the meeting with Arafat did not materialize.

The school year began on schedule last Friday. 1,890,000 children return to school throughout Israel.

Shas leader Aryeh Deri went to prison, followed by a large procession of supporters who disrupted traffic on the Jerusalem - Tel Aviv Highway.

A decision was made at the Cabinet meeting this past Sunday to abolish the Ministry of Religious Affairs and to disperse its powers among other ministries.

This past Sunday, Israel played its first game in a series of matches to qualify for the World Soccer Cup to take place in June 2002 in Japan and Korea. Israel beat Liechtenstein 2-0. The favorite, Spain, as well as Austria, and Bosnia, also compete in Israel's group.

The new Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Henry with his wife, the new Grand Duchess, Maria Teresa

Israeli conductor, David Shallon, will conduct the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra at the coronation ceremony of the new Grand Duke, Prince Henri, taking place at the end of the month in Luxembourg's capital. The ceremony at which Prince Henri will replace his father Jean, will take place at the royal palace in the presence of princes and kings from all over the world and will be viewed by thousands of citizens.

Luxembourg has an area of 2,586 square kilometers (1,000 square miles), the same as the area of the Galilee region in Israel. Half of Luxembourg's half million citizens live in the capital - Luxembourg. During World War II all its Jews were expelled to other parts of Europe and 800 died in the concentration camps.

Today, 1,000 Jews live in Luxembourg. The Jewish Agency's delegation in Belgium, which is also responsible for aliyah from Luxembourg, reports that over the last decade 20 olim from Luxembourg immigrated to Israel. There is a main synagogue in Luxembourg the capital and another in the neighboring town of Esch.

In the early years following the establishment of the State of Israel, the JNF planted a forest in the name of the Duchess Charlotte, grandmother of Prince Henri and mother of Grand Duke Jean. The forest was planted in appreciation for the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, in which Jews enjoy freedom and equal rights that were restored to them following the end of the Nazi occupation.

This week, close to 100 Jewish community activists in St. Petersburg attended the opening of the "Shalom" restaurant - the city's first kosher eatery. The opening was attended by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Pavzner - St. Petersburg's Chief Rabbi, Gregory Baskin - well-known Jewish actor and entertainer, representatives of the Jewish Agency, the JDC, the Israel Center, the Maccabi Club and municipal officials.

Restaurant founder and owner, Tamzi Sapiachvilli, is considered a prominent Jewish community leader in town. One year ago, Sapiachvilli set up "Eshel Eli" - a plant for kosher meals, that provides services to Jewish organizations in St. Petersburg and surrounding towns including the Jewish Agency. Michael Golan, director of the Jewish Agency's north Russia delegation reports that the Jewish Agency orders meals for participants at its various seminars and including students attending Jewish identity courses.

Based on growing business, Sapiachvilli now opened the kosher restaurant. One of its stated goals is the encouragement of kashrut observance among Jews in St. Petersburg. The restaurant that was designed by leading St. Petersburg architect Gregory Michaelov, has room for more than 70 diners. The menu is varied and combines traditional Jewish foods, items from the Caucasian eastern kitchen and a number of dishes from the French cuisine.

Among the dishes served one finds red caviar on ice and smoked salmon, a variety of pasta alongside typical Caucasian dishes such as Chakhovili, Chaburki, Khinkli and others. Particularly noticeable are the names of Jewish foods in Yiddish: gefilte fish, asik fleisch, zimmes von frische baren and apfel gefilte.

Kashrut is supervised by St. Petersburg Chief Rabbi Menachem Mendel Pavzner. The restaurant is located at 10 Tomchake Street., corner of Loumnaye Street, Reservations for meals and special events can be made by calling: (7-812) 327-54-70/1

Ingredients

12 oz. beef
3 oz. fresh mushrooms
2 oz. chicken fillet
1 onion
1 oz. mayonnaise
lettuce, fresh dill and parsley
salt, pepper, spices

Preparation

• Cook the chicken fillet in a little water for 10 minutes. Fry the mushrooms with the chopped onion. Mince the cooked chicken and mix with the mayonnaise, fried mushrooms and onion. Add salt, pepper and spice to taste.

• Slice the beef thin stripes (schnitzel sized portions). Place a little chicken stuffing in each piece and roll up.

• Cook in red-wine gravy for up to half-an-hour. Serve on bed of fresh lettuce.

B'Te'avon! Bon Appetit!