The Russian Jewish Congress celebrated Hanukkah and thanked the Israeli Ambassador for his work in Russia

On Thursday, December 7, the Russian Jewish Congress (RJC) held an evening at the Igor Butman Jazz Club on Taganka, dedicated to the holiday of Hanukkah. Remember the events of the 2nd century BC. e., when the Maccabees defeated and expelled the Greco-Syrian troops from the Temple Mount, cleansed and rededicated the temple desecrated by the ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the leadership of the RJC invited public and cultural figures. Among those who came to the festive evening were the Ambassador of Israel to the Russian Federation Alexander Ben Zvi, the founders of Alfa Group Mikhail Fridman and German Khan, the president of JSC Medicine, academician Grigory Roitberg, senator Lyudmila Narusova, Moscow City Duma deputy Evgeniy Bunimovich, director Mark Rozovsky, poet Vladimir Vishnevsky and others.

Acting President of the RJC Mikhail Broitman told Kommersant that this Hanukkah evening for the RJC is also an evening of gratitude: “Gratitude for cooperation and joint projects to Israeli Ambassador Alex Ben Zvi, who is completing his three-year tenure in Russia and returning home. For us, such a farewell dinner with the Israeli ambassador is a long-standing good tradition, but this time it has a special touch of sadness. The warm-hearted and intelligent Alex Ben Zvi became a good friend to us.” “Hanukkah, like other important Jewish holidays Passover and Purim, is celebrated in honor of the victory of the Jews over those who wanted to destroy the Jewish people. Now Israel is going through dark times,” RJC official representative Mikhail Savin told Kommersant. “But as history shows, including the history of Hanukkah, light always triumphs over darkness. Light will defeat darkness this time too, and the Jewish state will survive and become stronger.”

The festive evening was opened by RJC Executive Director Anna Bokshitskaya, who invited Chief Rabbi of Russia Adolf Shaevich to light the first Hanukkah candle. Then the head of the board of trustees of the RJC, Georgy Roitberg, presented Alexander Ben Zvi with a memorable gift – a menorah from Gzhel (a menorah is a candlestick with seven candles, which, according to the Bible, was in the tabernacle of meeting during the exodus, and then in the Jerusalem temple until its destruction).

“We will miss you, you are irreplaceable, we want to be friends with you,” Mr. Roitberg said, addressing the ambassador. “It was an honor for me to represent the State of Israel in Russia,” answered the ambassador. Many kind words were said this evening to Alexander Ben Zvi. Singer Alla Reed performed Frank Sinatra’s hit “My Way” in honor of the ambassador. After this, the guests began to celebrate Hanukkah with songs in a jazz arrangement.

Pavel Korobov