Groundbreaking New Jewish Educational Complex

Baku, Azerbaijan — May 31st in the capital of Azerbaijan, a festive ceremony took place for laying the first stone of the Baku ‘Chabad Ohr Avner’ Educational Complex. This event signifies the joyous beginning a massive undertaking, sponsored by the Ohr Avner Foundation in partnership with the Geider Aliyev Foundation.

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The Chabad Or Avner School in Azerbaijan currently has over 400 Jewish children enrolled and is one of the largest Jewish schools in the region.
The First lady of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva and FJC President Lev Leviev laid the corner stone of new complex and reviewed the architectural plans for the new ‘Chabad Ohr Avner’ Educational complex, which will be situated on a 15,000 square meter territory allotted to Or Avner Chabad by the Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev.

This innovative complex is to consist of 11 separate energy-efficient buildings ranging from two to four stories, designed to meet the needs of the institution’s administrative, educational and training needs, in addition to halls of residence for its students.

Apart from a network of classrooms, auditoriums, laboratories, dormitories, libraries and gymnasiums, the complex will also include a two-story Synagogue that will become the center of the spiritual life at the ‘Chabad Ohr Avner’ Educational complex that will serve over 1,000 students.

The territory is to be completely landscaped with trees and will also feature an outdoor stadium and a man-made pond in the shape of the Star of David.

Among the guests were FJC President and Ohr Avner Foundation Chairman Lev Leviev, Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, Jack Rosen Chairman of the Council for world Jewry, Rabbi Meir Bruk, Chief Rabbi of the Ashkenazi community of Azerbauijan and Chabad Lubavitch Representative to Baku, Rabbi Avraham Berkowitz Executive Director of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS and numerous dignitaries from Israel and Azerbaijan, including Deputy Milli Medzhlisa and Mehriban Aliyeva, the First Lady of Azerbaijan who is also a UNESCO Goodwill Envoy, and Head of the Geidar Aliyev Foundation.

The event received extensive coverage by Azerbaijan’s national press.