Chabad-Lubavitch Announces Plans to Resume Operations of Rostov Yeshiva

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] — Agudas Chassidei Chabad, the umbrella organization of the international Chabad-Lubavitch movement, today, Friday, announced plans to re-open the Lubavitch Yeshiva in Rostov, Russia.

The announcement was made following an extraordinary meeting today of its executive committee, which invited Rabbi Yosef Aronov, chairman of Agudas Chassidei Chabad in Israel and head of the yeshiva, and Rabbi Berel Lazar, head Lubavitch emissary in the former Soviet Union and Russia’s chief rabbi.

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The meeting was called due to recent disturbing events. Last Friday, just before Shabbat, Russian state authorities detained 13 of the yeshiva’s students, citing visa and registration issues. They were, however, released over the weekend, after urgent intervention by American diplomats and officials of American Jewish organizations.

“The committee thoroughly reviewed the series of events and resolved to implement plans to resume operations and studies at the yeshiva as soon as practical,” said Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, Chairman of the Executive Committee. “It became clear that the insinuations and accusations were erroneous and were a result of misunderstanding and confusion surrounding those events.

”We commend Rabbi Aronov and Rabbi Lazar for their efforts to solve the problem of this crisis in a responsible way and for handling the situation in the best manner possible,” continued Rabbi Shemtov. “We remain optimistic about Rabbi Lazar’s commitment to work with Russian authorities and ensure resumption of the activities of the Rostov Yeshiva, which has earned international acclaim for its excellence and achievements.”