Bobruisk or Bust...

Today we learned of the history of the Jews of Minsk and travelled 2 ½ hours from Minsk to Bobruisk. On the way, we learned of the work of JDC in this region. Among some of the general facts that we learned about Belarus:
· 2 million residents of which 80% live in private-owned apartments
· There is a very high rate of divorce…nearing 55%
· If a resident wishes to leave the country for more than 72 hours, he must register at the Ministry of the Interior
· Once a business is successful, the government often steps in and “asks” the company to become their partner and then the company “offers” to give the government 55% (!!) of interest in the company

The JDC was faced with a situation when the doors of post-Soviet times opened that looked like this: In 1989, there were no Jewish schools, no synagogues, virtually no identification of any Jewish affiliation, illiterate in Hebrew and on and on and on…There also was no infrastructure for supporting the Jewish community. Rebirth of Judaism and Jewish life began in earnest in 1991.
Currently, Minsk has 30,000 Jews. Many have made Aliya and many speak of moving. Yet, the vast majority seem to be here for the long haul. Since 2001, Minsk has a Jewish Campus housing all forms of services under one roof. It is open to ALL Jews.

JDC’s work breaks down into three main areas:
a) Chessed: What began as packages of food for the poor in 1991 has evolved into a network of institutions all across Belarus. Hundreds of needy Jews are fed daily; home health care, home visits for those who can’t leave their home, subsidies for those needing medicines…are merely a small portion of the work done by The Joint. They even arrange to repair small appliances and other items for those who would not be able to afford it.

b) Jewish renewal: For 70 years, Jews were cut off from being able to practice (publicly) ….life and tradition was lost for 2-3 generations. Via many different means and methods, JDC has been instrumental in the re-birth of Jewish life. Something as small as baking challot before Shabbat as a method to re-introduce Shabbat is only one of dozens of such actions to bring about this re-birth. They also run over 50 different programs with the same goal. One example is summer camp. Another amazing example is something we, from the USA, take for granted but is un-heard of in Belarus: Mainstreaming children with mental and physical disabilities into various programs and schools.

c) Children’s Initiative: This section deals with children at risk. This encompasses anything from kids from abusive homes, alcohol-related issues, etc.

After our long bus ride, we arrive in Bobruisk. This city, until 1941, was home to 26,000 Jews. On November 7, 1941, there was a mass murder of 20,000 of those Jews in a 24 hour period. We arrived at the site of a mass grave to 10,000 of the murdered where a memorial stands in their memory. There are two ravines on either side of this area where Jews were lined up and summarily executed. Besides a marble memorial, there are large numbers proclaiming “10,000” with no other description. It stands in silent memory of those buried there. A number of people light memorial candles in their memory after reciting a Kel Male. The memorial has steps leading up to it that are made of red granite as a reminder of the blood that flowed there years ago.
Next we visited a JCC where all of the activities, whether for the young children or the adults who are there for Yiddish club revolved around the theme of Tu B’shvat, as today is indeed Tu B’Shvat.

We had the opportunity then to meet at the home of one of the clients of the Chessed. He receives aid in terms of food, money and medicine from JDC. But that is only half the picture. To see his living conditions is to understand abject poverty. While the square meters of his apartment are not too small, the CONDITION is atrocious. His “kitchen” (the seize of a closet) is in total disrepair and his bathroom (you will excuse me) is made up of a tub from 60 years ago and has a pot next to it. How very sad.

A visit to the cemetery where we encountered some very interesting history regarding Chabad and a visit to the JAFI (Jewish Agency for Israel—the Sochnut) where WE participated with some of the local teachers in a Tu B’Shvat activity rounded out our time in Bobruisk. All in all, a VERY interesting and enlightening day.

We had the honor of hearing from the Israeli ambassador to Belarus at dinner.
Tomorrow it is off to Volozhin. I am VERY much looking forward to this day as the history of the location and the personalities who came from there are legendary.
Until then…off to try and get some sleep!

(And I keep thinking to myself: “Thursday night I will be home in Israel…!”)