New Jewish Community Center Opens in Kazakhstan

In the past few years, more and more people have been returning to their Jewish roots in this largest city in the country with 1.2 million residents with estimated 15,000 Jews. The only existing full-fledged Jewish Community Center in the region happens to be located far from the city’s center and has already become so popular that it is running over-capacity.

It is for this reason that the Jewish community of Almaty has launched yet another institution – a Chabad Jewish Community center which rounds out a series of other Jewish institutions in this Kazakhstan city. Here, there already exists the Ohr Avner Chabad Day School and Kindergarten, a Synagogue, a dormitory for children studying at the Jewish school from outlying settlements, and offices of the local Jewish community.

“From now on, Jews living in the center of Almaty will have a home,” explained Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gershovich, a Chabad Lubavitch representative serving in the region. “Here, Jews will be able to approach the community with any question, whether it is of a religious or social character,” added Rabbi Gershovich.

This week, the Jewish community of Almaty also announced that it would soon be launching a new kosher restaurant on the new premises, the opening of which has been a long awaited event for members of the local Jewish community, a member of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS.