Passover TV Special Filmed in Volgograd

VOLGOGRAD, Russia — A new TV program has been working on a feature on the Jewish community of Volgograd. Timed well with Passover, this show was aired as part of the series “The Peoples of Volgograd” and hosted by Svetlana Yuriecheva, whose work on the programs “The Saturday Album”, “Anisya” and “My Child” have also focused on everyday heroes within the Jewish community. Her current series, which underlines the life of the various ethnic and religious communities in the region, has been on the air since the beginning of 2008.

The concept for this project was that the lifeways, culture, holidays and individuals highlighted by journalists would help residents of Volgograd Region to better know and understand one another and to become a more open and tolerant society. With more than 100 ethnic groups having made this their home, this initiative is supported by the Cultural Affairs Committee of the Volgograd Regional Administration.

For this special Passover episode, Chief Rabbi of Volgograd and Chabad Lubavitch representative Zalman Yoffe spoke about this holiday, its customs and symbols. For the first time ever since it was reconstructed, the film crew also visited the inside of the Synagogue. Jewish leaders eagerly gave them a tour of the premises and spoke about the community’s activities.

Program host Svetlana Yuriecheva has informed Chief Rabbi Yoffe that the subject material provided is actually enough to prepare several different features. The Jewish community of Volgograd is confident that they will go a long way in building bridges between peoples and building ethnic accord in the Volgograd Region.