Uplifting Celebrations  in Siberian city of Tiumen, led by the Chief Rabbi of Russia

During the week in which the words of the Torah are read, “And make me a sanctuary,” the city of Tiumen in Siberia experienced a continuous day of sublime and uplifting events, which resulted in a tremendous Kidush Hashem and raised the  pride of the city’s thousands of Jews.

The city of Tiumen in Siberia is a large industrial city, and because of this, many Jews have come to live in the city or in the surrounding regions over the years. About fifteen years ago, with the growth of the Jewish population in the city, the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar Shlita, sent the young Rabbi Yerachmiel Gorelik and his wife to serve in the rabbinate of the large city and to work there, alongside a number of rabbis – Chabad emissaries working in the Siberian cities in the region.

Regardless of the famous Siberian cold, and the various other challenges that existed there, the Gorelik family managed to gather the Jewish souls in the city and form the community from the ground up, until they reached a point where the old place became too small to accommodate the public, and it was necessary to move to a more spacious place. Indeed, thanks to local donors and those from around the world who heard about the Jewish community in Tiumen, the move to a new place was made possible. The new accommodations house the community offices, classrooms, a kindergarten, and activities for local Jewish youth.

After a two-and-a-half-hour flight from the capital, Moscow, the Chief Rabbi of Russia arrived with a delegation of dignitaries and supporters. Despite the visit being very short,  the hearts of the local Jews were warmed and their Jewish pride soared. 

The events opened with affixing a mezuzah at the main entrance of the shul in the city center, which also houses the Chabad House. After a Dvar Torah and blessings delivered by the distinguished guest, the city’s rabbi, Rabbi Gorelik, expressed his gratitude and appreciation to all of the city’s Jews for their great support throughout the years.

He also thanked the Chief Rabbi, who spared no effort over the years, and used his connections in high places to stand by the community’s side in its efforts and helped them reach these highest moments.

But the celebration didn’t stop here. It continued with affixing the mezuzah in the new and magnificent mikveh building, which was built according to all the requirements, designed by the Hasidic architect Rabbi Mordechai Menashe Gorelik – the father of the city’s rabbi, and someone who during his lifetime was privileged to design many shuls and mikvehs, namely the one who designed the famous 770 building that stands at the entrance to Kfar Chabad. Rabbi Gorelik was also honored with putting up a  mezuzah at one of the entrances to the mikveh building. Excitement gripped the audience, when they noticed a tile of a different color and size, affixed to the wall of the mikveh pit – which was brought from the mikveh built by the Rebbe Rashab, in the city of Rostov – the famous and first mikveh built in the unique method of “bor al gabei bor”.

After farbrenging with donors and friends, 

the esteemed guest, the Chief Rabbi, Shlita, set out to the community’s lot in the city center to place the cornerstone for the new building of the Jewish Center that has long been planned to be built on the site. In this uplifting atmosphere, several participants took advantage of the opportunity and donated a magnificent Aron Kodesh, an elegant Torah scroll, and more – for the new building. The crowd, led by the rabbis, headed by foot towards the large area while singing Chassidic melodies. They cleared the snow with shovels, recited Tehillim, and to the sound of the song “Keli Ata” in a melody composed by the Alter Rebbe, the Baal HaTanya,  the Chief Rabbi and the city rabbi laid the cornerstone – a stone from the  building of  770 in New York, which the facade of the new building in Tiumen will be modeled after.

This day also marked the Bar Mitzvah of Rabbi Gorelik’s son, Nota, and was celebrated with the participation of dignitaries and esteemed guests, many of whom came to express their deep appreciation for the Gorelik family in their holy work of restoring Yiddishkeit to its rightful place.