Accounts of the program – known as a Shabbaton – stressed the transformative quality of the affair.

Participants of the Jewish youth gathering pose for a picture.

The program last week, known as a Shabbaton, drew 55 students from across Russia. Accounts of the gathering stressed the transformative quality of the affair. During Saturday morning services, for instance, four women chose Jewish names for themselves, and five men were called to the Torah for the first time.

The Shabbaton took place in the center of Rostov.

Sunday morning prayer services transformed a game hall into a makeshift synagogue, and several young men donned the Jewish prayer boxes known as tefillin for the first time in their lives.

One young woman mentioned that ever since her great-grandparents were killed by the Nazis, her family has hidden their Jewish identity. But around a year ago, she decided to visit her local synagogue and realized that being Jewish didn’t need to be kept secret.

Said Rabbi Chaim Danzinger, director of the Jewish community of Rostov-on-Don: “Seeing how much each student gained from this event makes me feel that we have to redouble our efforts to reach out to youth with programs that engage them and raise their awareness.”