Cornerstone for New Synagogue in Ukraine

Dneprodzerzhinsk, Ukraine -– The cornerstone has been laid for the foundation of the future Synagogue and Community Center at a festive ceremony in Dneprodzerzhinsk.

The synagogue and Community Center building will be completed in one year and will constitute an exact copy of the famous Synagogue 770 in New York, the headquarters of the World Lubavitcher Movement. The Synagogue will be called Beit Baruch in honor of Boris Bogoliubov, the father of the main donor of this project and Chairman of the Jewish Community of Dnepropetrovsk Gennady Bogoliubov. The Community Center will be called “Beit Reuven” in memory of Rabbi Reuven Kaminetsky, the father of Chief Rabbi of Dnepropetrovsk and its region Shmuel Kaminetsky.

The cornerstone ceremony was attended by Jews of Dneprodzerzhinsk and many guests of honor representing different cities of Ukraine and Israel.

The Mayor of Dneprodzerzhinsk Oleg Zakhorolsky opened the event praising the revival of Jewish culture and expressing his hopes that the new beautiful building will allow Jews and other residents get acquainted with centuries-old legacy of the Jewish culture and spirituality. The Mayor promised to provide tax remissions for the construction of the Synagogue and handed out honorary notes to Chief Rabbi of Dneprodzerzhinsk Levi Stambler and Community Chairman Dmitry Tarnopolsky for their achievements in reviving Jewish live in the city.

Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Azriel Chaikin and Chief Rabbi of Kfar Chabad Mordechay Shmuel also spoke at this ceremony emphasizing the great importance of this event. Also present at the ceremony were the Second Secretary of the Israeli Embassy Julia Gur and other friends and supporters of the community from Zaporozhye, Kherson, Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk and other Ukrainian cities.

Chief Rabbi of Dnepropetrovsk Shmuel Kaminetsky emphasized the symbolism of this event. “A hundred years ago, the great grandfather of Gennady Bogoliuboy had participated in construction of a synagogue at this place. Today, Gennadiy Bogoliubov, a man of great success in business who devoted his life to charity, is putting up a new synagogue and a community center here. This is a great merit and a mitzvah,” he explained. Mr. Bogoliubov also provided assistance to the construction and operation of a synagogue and old age home in Dnepropetrovsk. “77 years ago Communists closed the Synagogue,” the rabbi continued, “But today grandsons of the Jews who had been expelled during the previous century are building a synagogue to pray in. Together with the city’s Mayor and our partners, as well as residents of free and democratic Ukraine, we are reviving charity and religion which are essential attributes of the thriving society.”

The Mayor of the city was given the honor of placing the cornerstone, followed by other guests of honor, community members, veterans and children. The stones they laid for the foundation of the future synagogue were carefully extracted from the remaining wall of the old synagogue that had stood on this place.