Chamah Celebrates 58 Years of Helping Russian Jewry

The 24th annual Chamah benefit dinner took place at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Manhattan on Thursday evening, December 1st. Hundreds of honorable guests, friends of Chamah, and benefactors attended the triumphant celebration.

A number of politicians attended including Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Comptroller of the City of New York John Liu, and New York State Senators Jeffrey Klein and Daniel Squadron, with Senator Squadron giving the keynote address.

Chamah was established in 1953 as an underground organization with the Rebbe’s encouragement and support, to provide Jewish education and humanitarian aid to Jews of the Former Soviet Union. Over the past 60 years, Chamah has grown into an international organization serving Russian Jewry in Israel, Russia, and the U.S, with programs for orphans, elderly, and the needy.

Recently, Chamah completed construction of a Jewish Medical Rehabilitation Center in Moscow, Russia. The staff is now concentrating its efforts on raising funds to furnish the new center and open it to the public.

During the evening’s program, the organization’s directors Rabbi Hillel Zaltzman, Rabbi Moshiach Chadaitov, Rabbi Binyamin Malachovski, and Rabbi Benzion Laskin presented the organization’s programs around the world and their vision for the upcoming year’s activities: the new humanitarian centers in Moscow and Kiryat Milachi, and the educational programs in the U.S., particularly the National Russian Jewish Shabbaton, which is slated to take place in Stamford, Connecticut, February 17-19.

Igor Oberman presented a proclamation on behalf of the Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. Also in attendance was the community liaison of the comptroller and well-known TV host Ari Kagan. The guests of honor were Dr. Alex and Olga Rovt, dedicated philanthropists who have been involved with the Jewish educational programs of Chamah for the past 15 years. Lev and Roza Rivkin received the 2011 Russian Jewish Leadership Award. Jennifer Feldsher and Suzanne Smolyar were the dinner co-chairs.

A unique and energetic speech was delivered by Mr. Mendy Chadaitov, the recipient of the 2011 Young Leadership Award, and the M Generation Show Group’s performance was the highlight of the evening.

Photos by Benjamin Cohen and Nikolay Komisarov