On motzei shabbos of Parshas Ki-Tisa, which this year was also Purim Meshulash, the grand Melave Malka benefitting Keren Chaya Mushka was held for the twenty fourth time.
The dinner marks the significant expansion of the Gmach which serves Rabbis, shluchim, and their community members in all countries of the FSU. With a kind word, a smile, or some words of advice, the Gmach’s volunteers are there every day of the year for others.
This year the event was held at the brand new Jewish Community Center that recently opened in Moscow’s suburb of Mitischi. The guests were impressed by the state of the art building which was uniquely designed as Tefillin, and includes everything necessary for Jewish community life. Everyone was warmly welcomed at the door by the community’s president Mr. Boruch Benzion Gurovich and Rabbi Reuven Kuravsky.
The evening began with Havdala recited by Rabbi Yaakov HaLevi Klein, shliach to the Arbat neighborhood of Moscow. The dinner was tastefully emceed by Mr. Igor Odintsov, a well-known Jewish cultural figure who volunteered his expertise for this important event.
In Annual tradition, the keynote address was given by Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar Shlita, who spoke about the halachic differences between tzedaka and free loans. He also mentioned that this year marks the 28th yortzeit of his eldest daughter Chaya Mushka o.b.m in whose pure memory the Gmach was founded twenty four years ago, and has since grown and expanded significantly.
The guests were shown an emotional presentation based on what the Talmud describes as three basic qualities that are found in every Jew: rachmanim (merciful), bayshanim (modest), and gomlei chassadim (reciprocate kindness).
The musical interlude was presented by Cheder Menachem’s choir “Hashira Haasirit”, led and conducted by mechanech Rabbi Menachem Mendel Markowitz, with talmidim shluchim Itzik Lifshitz on the keyboard and Hillel Tzadik on the drums.
Elegant gifts were presented to the esteemed donors and benefactors who pledged their continued support for the upcoming year, and a special certificate of appreciation was presented to Mr. Boruch Benzion Gurovich who hosted the event.
At the close of the melave malka, the esteemed Rabbi Yitzchak HaKohen Kogan of the Bolshaya Bronnaya Shul was honored with reciting birkas hamazon.
Special thanks were expressed to the Shaarei Tzedek Jewish Chessed Center in whose building the Gmach operates, along with a plethora of additional aid and assistance projects for the elderly, the sick, the indigant, and large families. The center, which was founded by Russia’s Chief Rabbi is the largest of its kind in the vast country today.
Photography: Levi Nazarov
