Jewish community of Nizhny Novgorod
Encyclopedia
The Jewish Community of Nizhny Novgorod contains about 15,000 people. The synagogue
within the community is at 5a Gruzinskaya Street.
The community includes the comprehensive Jewish school, Or Avner; the kindergarten, Gan Menachem; the yeshiva
, Tomhey Tmimim; and the summer camp
for boys and girls, Gan Isroel.
have lived on the territory of Nizhny Novgorod
since the nineteenth century. The laws of the Russian Empire
prohibited Jews from living in the center of Russia, allowing them land only in the Pale of Settlement
. Only merchants of the top guild and retired soldiers of the imperial army could live there. Nevertheless, the high trade and industrial development of Nizhny Novgorod attracted people, and Jews started arrive at Nizhny Novgorod
from western regions of the empire. The majority of migrants were dealers and merchants. They arrived at Nizhny Novgorod
to different trade fairs on the territory of the famous local fair. But there was no permanent Jewish community in the city until 1840, prompted by the decree of the tsar
that started to recruit Jews for military service
.
The community of Nizhny Novgorod was said to have been founded by the tsar's soldiers, because soldiers were required to live in the city where they served. They subsequently became merchants and traders. The synagogue was built in the period from 1881 to 1883.
In 1850, the Nizhny Novgorod community numbered 300 people, and there were 3000 people in 1913. The synagogue was led by a rabbi and a chief rabbi. There they formed a yeshiva
and held charitable and funeral services.
Despite the increase of Jewish refugees in Nizhny Novgorod, government policy was aimed at reducing the Jewish population in the Nizhny Novgorod region.
Since the 1970s, as a result of the Jews' repatriation to Israel
, the strength of the community markedly decreased. However, it is possible to observe Jewish tradition. In the homes of townspeople minyany began to gather for prayers.
In 1989 Edward M. Chaprak
was appointed as head of the community.
In 1999 Shimon Bergman came to Nizhny Novgorod to serve as the Chief Rabbi of the city. Under his leadership, the daily minyan
was updated in the synagogue, and various Jewish institutions were opened in the city: the school Or Avner-Habad; the kindergarten, Gan Menachem; a youth club; and a summer camp with a boarding yeshiva, Torah lessons, and various activities for holidays. Two years later, the mikvah
for women was built.
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
within the community is at 5a Gruzinskaya Street.
The community includes the comprehensive Jewish school, Or Avner; the kindergarten, Gan Menachem; the yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
, Tomhey Tmimim; and the summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
for boys and girls, Gan Isroel.
History
JewsJews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
have lived on the territory of Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...
since the nineteenth century. The laws of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
prohibited Jews from living in the center of Russia, allowing them land only in the Pale of Settlement
Pale of Settlement
The Pale of Settlement was the term given to a region of Imperial Russia, in which permanent residency by Jews was allowed, and beyond which Jewish permanent residency was generally prohibited...
. Only merchants of the top guild and retired soldiers of the imperial army could live there. Nevertheless, the high trade and industrial development of Nizhny Novgorod attracted people, and Jews started arrive at Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...
from western regions of the empire. The majority of migrants were dealers and merchants. They arrived at Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...
to different trade fairs on the territory of the famous local fair. But there was no permanent Jewish community in the city until 1840, prompted by the decree of the tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
that started to recruit Jews for military service
Military service
Military service, in its simplest sense, is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft . Some nations require a specific amount of military service from every citizen...
.
The Nizhny Novgorod synagogue
In 1850, the Nizhny Novgorod community numbered 300 people, and there were 3000 people in 1913. The synagogue was led by a rabbi and a chief rabbi. There they formed a yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
and held charitable and funeral services.
Despite the increase of Jewish refugees in Nizhny Novgorod, government policy was aimed at reducing the Jewish population in the Nizhny Novgorod region.
Since the 1970s, as a result of the Jews' repatriation to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, the strength of the community markedly decreased. However, it is possible to observe Jewish tradition. In the homes of townspeople minyany began to gather for prayers.
Current status
The revival of the Jewish community began in 1989, when several influential Jewish cities organized the Jewish Culture Club. Later, Lipa Gruzman registered religious communities officially and began taking action to return the synagogue buildings. September 1991 brought the opening of the Sunday Jewish School, and on April 17 the synagogue held an official opening ceremony after its renovation.In 1989 Edward M. Chaprak
Edward Chaprak
Edward M. Chaprak is a leader of the Jewish community in his home town. He is the chairman of the Nizhny Novgorod Synagogue...
was appointed as head of the community.
In 1999 Shimon Bergman came to Nizhny Novgorod to serve as the Chief Rabbi of the city. Under his leadership, the daily minyan
Minyan
A minyan in Judaism refers to the quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations. According to many non-Orthodox streams of Judaism adult females count in the minyan....
was updated in the synagogue, and various Jewish institutions were opened in the city: the school Or Avner-Habad; the kindergarten, Gan Menachem; a youth club; and a summer camp with a boarding yeshiva, Torah lessons, and various activities for holidays. Two years later, the mikvah
Mikvah
Mikveh is a bath used for the purpose of ritual immersion in Judaism...
for women was built.