Donors Special Gift to Chief Rabbi

By COLlive reporter

What would be a most meaningful and appreciative gift to the Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar on the marriage of his daughter?

7 Russian Jewish businessmen seem to have a clue.

They made their special tribute public during the Sheva Brachos celebration for the rabbi’s daughter Frady Lazar to Moishy Lerman held at the Zhokuvka Jewish Community Center.

“4 new Chabad centers will be opening up in Moscow,” announced Rabbi Mordechai Weisberg, Director of the Marina Roscha Synagogue and Jewish Community Center in Moscow, and the initiator of the gift.

As guests were dining on a lavish meal to celebrate the wedding, the philanthropists were invited to meet the Shluchim who will be running the new centers.

Mr. Igor Rempel and Mr. Oleg Paltin are sponsoring the transfer of the International Jewish Community of Moscow, an English-speaking center run by Shliach Rabbi Yanky Klein, to the Arbat neighborhood in the City Center.

Mr. David Refalov is backing a Chabad on Campus center at the Moscow State University (MSU) to be run by Shliach Rabbi Shimon Krasnadomsky, while Mr. Nechimov is opening a Chabad center in the Khimki neighborhood to be run by Shliach Rabbi Michoel Paikovsky.

Mr. Lev Leviev, renowned Chabad philanthropist, is donating a new Chabad center at the Novye Veshki compound located in a picturesque corner of suburban Moscow. It will be run by Shliach Rabbi Zalmen Deren.

In addition, Baruch Benzion Gurevitch and Zevulun Yaakobov handed Shliach Rabbi Avrohom Beckerman the keys of a new Mikvah built in the Chomesh educational institute in Moscow.

The largesse was warmly received by Rabbi Lazar who heads the Federation of Jewish Communities in Russia and is credited with leading the revival of Jewish life in the former Soviet Union by the Rebbe‘s Shluchim.

“The Rebbe would often quote what our sages said that ‘whoever has one portion, wants two’ and that motivates us to want a Chabad center in every neighborhood in this city,” he said.

The host of the Sheva Brachos was Rabbi Alexander Boroda. Tehillim was said by the chosson’s grandgather R’ Tzvi Aba Lerman. Betching was recited by the kallah’s grandfather Rabbi Moshe Lazar, longtime Shliach in Milan, Italy.

The celebration was entertained by singer Avremi Lunger and musician Shimi Silkar leading the crowd, among them family and guests, in song and dance.