The YW Library Project (CFCJ) – Continues with Russia
After great successes in this remarkable project/campaign assigned to Chabad Friends of Cuban Jewry (CFCJ), of building Jewish Libraries in isolated Jewish communities across the globe, which began with Spanish, Ladino (Turkey), (a few English), and Portuguese namely in South and Central America communities, and then into French, namely communities across France Italian for communities across Italy and then next phase in Germany for 10 communities in Germany, the project concluding the final/additional nine communities in Germany, Luxemburg, (additional community in Mexico), many Chabad houses across Netherlands (and other). And now on to Russia, starting with the first 18 Chabad centers across Russia.
1) Tyumen Siberia – Rabbi Yerachmiel Garelik 2) Kostroma – Rabbi Nisson Rupo. 3) Ufa – Rabbi Dan Krichevski 4) Saratov – Rabbi Yakov Kubechik 5) Adrmtalsky/Petersburg/Bait Medrash – Rabbi Shalom Pewzner 6) Nizhny Novgorod – Rabbi Shimon Bergman 7) Krasnoyarsk – Rabbi Binyomin Vagner.
8) Vladivostok – Rabbi Shimon Varakin 9) Astrakhan – Rabbi Yisreal Melamed 10) Penza – Rabbi Dan Savinov 11) Vibersky Bait Sefer Menachem Petersburg – Rabbi Goldenber 12) Sevastopol Crimea – Rabbi Binyomin wolf 13) Novokuznetsk Siberia – Rabbi Menachem Rabinowitz 14) Talyaty – Rabbi Meir Fisher 15) Eketrinburg – Rabbi Zelig Askanazi 16) Lipetzk – Rabbi Shmuel Shtifel 17) Bryansk – Rabbi Mendy Zaklos 18) Orel – Rabbi Aleksandr Grishin.
The YW Library Project appointed and entrusted the CFCJ to lead this unique library activity, in the manner that via the CFCJ a grant is allocated per library per community. With an annual quota which over the years b”H only grew and expanded holding at his time over 155 libraries in over 25 countries.
It all started with this foundation that was instrumental in opening up our Spanish library Havana, Cuba, had then gained interest to similarly open more Spanish libraries in remote Jewish cities in all Spanish speaking countries, (mainly South America), and appointed the CFCJ to direct this unique activity.
After covering the significant majority Chabad houses serving Spanish communities, the CFCJ received the ‘ok’ to move on with Portuguese. And again after covering most Chabad houses serving Portuguese communities the CFCJ obtained the ‘green light’ to continue with Italian and French, and other secluded communities. The idea behind the notion of foreign languages is for the primary interest is in Jews living in isolated and remote areas.
Over the years the CFCJ received many correspondences from the recipients of these grants, namely noting how much this [library] project contributed so much to their communities, as it translates into thousands – and [collectively] ultimately to tens of thousands – of readers of these Judaic books. As well many of them pointing out that due to the momentous excitement of their community members, many of them contributed more funds to expand the libraries etc. As the saying goes, “knowledge is power”, while power of Torah knowledge, is aligned with the ‘Super Power’. Ultimately leading to the tach-lis “Ki zeh kol ha-adam, es Elokim ye-ro v’es Mitzvosav shmor” – the increase in observance of Hashem holy Mitzvos.
“With the hope that this project will hasten the assurance that B’Koroiv we witness the “U’Mmoloh Ho’oretz De-ah es Hashem…” “……….Loi Ro-ov La-Lechem .…Ki Im Lishmoah es Divrei Hashem” commented Rabbi Shimon Aisenbach, Director of CFCJ.
