You call that an election?

Family picture taken many months ago in Stavropol by visitors from "Lechaim" magazine.



The report is in, and the result is: it has been pushed off.

I received 2 updates from Pesach, which I don't think I've posted yet - the facts that at the Seder we sponsored (well, some of your donations sponsored) 50 elderly Stavropol Jews who each received a package of food (necessity items such as eggs). Also, the children sang 4 Pesach songs. We really owe the 2 bochurim, Akiva and Shimon, a tremendous thank you since they did an amazing job. 137 people amazing.

Two days ago Igor Arkadyevich spent the day meeting with officials in Stavropol, and powerful Jews of the community. I don't know what he said, but he told me he was working on trying to find a solution for Stavropol's Jews. He also said that the officials seem to be on Yefim's side. He would later mention that he heard from somewhere that I must be out of the city for 5 years...

Yesterday he met with Natasha and Igr Lerner, and then went to a meeting which was held in a hall so everyone can fit. The meeting was called for 6:00, and in Igor Arkadyeviches words: "Over 80 people attended."

It started off organized from what I hear. Yisroel Yitzchak Farber (the guy with the Bracha from the Friediker Rebbe) got up first to speak.

He told them how his contribution to the community is going every Shabbos at 2:00 to eat and talk with his fellow Jews in the center. I used to go, and when I stopped coming, he was upset at me. He then heard about the arguments, and took Yefim's side, since Yefim was telling them that I had said I didn't want to come anymore.

However, after a couple of Shabbosim, knowing my character (I don't think I'm a mean person), he called me to meet. He came together with Mikhail Fridman and heard my side of the story. We agreed to meet with Yefim in my apartment, which happened.

At the apartment, all Yefim spoke about was money, while I tried to steer the conversation to peace. He said he left not sure what to think. But then when he saw Yefim the next day doing everything the opposite of what he had promised, and returned to me and saw me trying to do everything I had said I'd do, he had realized why people had years ago stopped walking into the Center.

"We need a new president, and we need our Rabbi back." He finished.

Next was Mikhail Grunis, who worked in the Center. He actually took my (tiny) office as his working space after Yefim threw me out. Later Yefim snubbed him and was nasty toward him, after he had fixed up the entire place. Yefim eventually threw him out. He testified out loud that he had seen people come in, and give Yefim over 10,000 rubles several times. Yefim didn't report this to anyone.

Finally, Refoel Khaimov spoke. He told everyone how he hadn't known there was a Center, and how he had met me. I had brought him to the center, and made him a part of the community. I taught him all he knew, and he told of the work he has seen me doing, and about my demeanor which he knows from driving me around alot.

After that, it went haywire. Everyone spoke up, all basically saying that Stavropol needs a new president and how they want their Rabbi back.

Igor Arkadyevich told them he'd work on it, and they might have to open a new "community" (i.e. religious organization).

He also told them that he thinks my chances of returning are slim. He thinks I must wait 5 years (I emailed this to Rabbi Lazar, and hopefully will receive his thoughts soon).

Today was the voting in of a new board and a new president. Last night we wrote a letter, and needing a direct answer, put it in the Igros (English Igros #5 (or 4 or 6, I forget), page 69.

The Rebbe writes to a Shliach going to Morocco that in a time of crisis, a king empties his treasury. He then says that 'we should hear good news and there should be a victory.'

This morning I went to Mikva, got the Minyan in Yeshiva to say Tehillim, and then returned home and waited to hear the results of the vote.

Finally I called, and here is what happened.

Over 50 papers had been prepared and properly notarized of people requesting to be considered members of the community. It was refused outright, which means that only Yefim's buddies could vote.

Police (and according to Igor Arkadyevich, several FSB men) guarded the door, and refused entry to anyone who wasn't 'allowed in.'

40 people were there, and Igr Lerner told me that 10 of them admitted publicly to being Keraim (Karaites, not considered Jewish). What was supposed to be civil turned into a shouting match, as Yana (Yefim's girlfriend) screamed at 70-year-old Svetlana Kozlova (Earlier we were told that she had had a heart attack, but thank G-d we were wrong). Svetlana is the woman who when she heard about the killing of Yeshiva students in Israel, called me sobbing.

They voted in a new board, but people protested because only 40 people were voting, while the rest of the Jews of Stavropol weren't even allowed in (by police!)

I don't have the details, but it appears that things got out of hand. Yefim announced that they were leaving the Federation and joining KEROOR (the other Jewish organization in Moscow).

After much discussion it was decided that another vote will take place on May 22nd. I'm still unclear on who will be allowed to vote. As far as I see it, only people whom Yefim decides will be able to have a say in who can lead the community.

Oh, and apparently his lawyer was there, along with Shnyukov, the guy in charge of religious affairs.

The charters were finally made public,. in which the Center, as 'Shalom group', has nothing whatsoever to do with religion.

Anyway, tomorrow Igor Arkadyevich returns to Moscow and reports to Sasha Boroda and Rabbi Lazar. I wonder what they have to say. I think our best option is to start a 'new community.'

Particularly now that we know that Stavropol doesn't have a Jewish religious organization.