A day in Pyatigorsk

Pyatigorsk.

A beautiful, very European city, yet full of different characters which makes you feel as though you landed in Western Asia. Mountains can be seen all around it, including the 5 mountains which give the city its name. Mount Elbrus, the tallest mountain in Europe, can be seen in the distance, along with rest of the Kavkaz, which look alot like the Alps.

I traveled there today for just the second time since I've been here (the first was to visit Rabbi Shertil Shalumov, a mountain Jew, and the Rabbi of the city).

I was going to take the bus there, but then I got a good deal on a taxi (just 1500 rubles) and got a nice quiet drive in the comfortable seats of the car, where I lay down and slept.

The reason I was going was because of the Sachnut (an organization with a goal to deal children around the world about Israel, and eventually have everyone make Aliya. They employ locals to do the teaching). The guy in charge of the Sachnut in South Russia, an Israeli named Lev, was in Pyatigorsk for the day, and I agreed to meet him upon the request of Natasha, the very nice lady who runs the Sachnut in Stavropol, and has helped us many times during our rough patches and early days here.

The Sachnut of Pyatigorsk is located next to the city theatre, and I was picked up and brought to its spacious offices by Misha, their driver. There I met Lev, and we sat down to chat.

Basically he told me (some of this is not his words) that the Sachnut in Russia has also been hit bad by the economic crisis (several people have told me that they are closing shop all over Russia... virtually everywhere). He suggested that we rent a place together, or rather, that we rent a place, and Natasha would technically 'rent' a room or two from us, and use our place as an address for the Sachnut. He explained that the Sachnut's all over Russia are being asked to try and join with the other Jewish organizations in the city (which probably is very hard in other cities, considering all the built up animosity between organizations that vie for control, as is usual for Jewish communities around the world). They tried to work with Yefim (community president who has been giving everyone a hard time), but he refuses.

My opinion? first off, regarding the entire Russia, this is good for the Chabad Rabbonim around Russia, since most of their competition will be gone, allowing them to focus on their work.

As for Stavropol, I gladly welcome Natasha and would love to work together with her. Aside from the fact that she has helped us and is a genuinely kind and competent person whom the community adores, it is also better for the community. Yefim is probably losing his funding from Moscow (I won't get into that now, but it is good news, since he has only abused his power), and this means that all Jewish organizations are under one roof.

The community is bigger than myself (or rather, myself and Chayale). Yes, we are here to focus on Yiddishkeit, but the truth is that we cannot help everyone, and the more Jewish organizations that exist here which can offer services and simply be there for people, the better.

The advantages:

- We can reach out to more people
- Working together with her means that she will introduce us to the community and we will meet more faces
- Not only will our organization be completely kosher, but so will the Sachnut! (a condition of them working with us)
- At least the people going to Israel will know a little about Yiddishkeit
- Less stress in the long run
- Instead of focusing on who we are NOT, we can focus on who we are, and try to get a Synagogue going.

That's my opinion.

Also in Pyatigorsk, I put Tefillin on a mountain Jew (Lev had already wrapped himself up that morning), and spoke to the head of the 'Joint' of South Russia, which gives food to old people in Russia, and also wants to work together.

Now I'm back home. I cannot go outside tonight (not that I would) because the police called a curfew saying that there are dangerous people around tonight and everyone should be vigilant and stay indoors.

Stavropol.