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Lag BaOmer in Kharkov, Ukraine

Kharkov, Ukraine — For over 70 years the Jews of the former Soviet Union were denied the right to practice their religion openly. Even after the fall of communism, those same Jews longed to see a proper Lag B’Omer Parade as they had seen in pictures. After days of building, painting and organizing, those dreams came true.

More in the Extended Article.

Sunday, Lag B’Omer on a bright, warm and altogether beautiful day Head Shliach R’ Moshe Moscowitz the Chief Rabbi of the city, addressed a massive and excited crowd in front of the Kharkov Choral Synagogue. He spoke of the importance of the day, and related the care that the Rebbe shows to Lag B’Omer in general and parades specifically. The Rosh HaKahal Alexander Kaganovsky also spoke inspiring all that were gathered. After the children of Cheder Menachem recited the 12 pesukim, jugglers and clowns entertained all with an amazing performance.

Then with a wave of the conductor’s hand, the Kharkov Police Marching Band struck up a famous Russian Jewish song (known as sem sorik) starting the parade. Following the marching band out of the gates of the shul onto the blocked off streets of Pushkinskaya and Sumaskaya came four beautiful floats built by the Talmidei HaShluchim. With signs and banners in hand the Yeshiva Ketana led the enormous crowd as they marched proudly in the procession.

When the parade concluded buses were at the shul waiting to take the Yeshiva Ketana and other Jewish boys of Kharkov to the nearby Gan Yisroel campsite where they enjoyed an afternoon of games and fun, topped off with a giant bonfire.

Special thanks to Alexander Borisovich Feldman, R’ Levi Raices and the Talmidei HaShluchim for helping arrange this event.

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14 Comments

  • amazed

    so nice to see a lag baomer in kharkov!

    keep up the good work!

  • bob

    hey dovid u rock
    u are my role model
    i wish that one day i will be like u
    love room 414

  • Friend of Karkov

    Wow! Kol hakovod Moskowits and Raices families. Amazing and inspiring. You have brought Kharkov a long way and have made the Rebbe really proud. Keep up the good work.

  • yankydoodle

    great job mendel, mendel, mendy, dovid and everyone else. looks great, were all the floats made the night b4, toronto style?!

  • Reb Nissan Nemiroff

    floats, police, mivtzah teffilin alexander feldman and his son ! this is incredible, charkov really rocks the house and all thanks to the Rebbes shluchim and Glavni Rabin R. M. Moscowitz, and the talmidei hashluchim and all the talmidei hashluchim in russia.

  • cinderella, treti

    WOW! I’m in shock, you guys are the SAMY BEST! самый лучи!I can’t believe how beutiful it is, the Rebbe’s shluchim are taking over the world! Kol Hakavod to Levi for putting on tefillin with that guy in uniform! I hope he doesn’t get in trouble for doing that!
    MM, how did you allow such pritzusdike entertainment? well whatever.

  • Yisroel Gordon

    We are very proud of our grandson Eliezer Posner
    a shliach in Kharkov!
    Eliezerke you’re doing great!!

  • Miriam Vynograd

    Wow! Seeing all this makes me wish I was there! There’s so much Yiddishkeit in Kharkov now b’H, and that’s all owing to the Shluchim! Kol Hakavod!

  • a frenchie shlucha :sarah T (1994)

    it was good to see how kharkov became a hassidishe town in few years. I’m proud to watch these pictures.kol hakavod to reb moishe and miriam and all the shlouchim!

  • a frenchie shlucha :sarah T (1994)

    it was good to see how kharkov became a hassidishe town in few years. I’m proud to watch these pictures.kol hakavod to reb moishe and miriam and all the shlouchim!