At least the courts there got something right.
2 - Feofan is the Christian archbishop of Russia and one of its top religious leaders. He lives in Stavropol and his church is in the center of the city and is quite magnificent. People come from all over to see him. I've heard he is a miracle-worker too.
Back when I was in Stavropol, former community leader Yefim Fainer told me that he tried to organize a meeting with Feofan but the archbishop didn't like meeting people of other religions and so we never met.
It's been a month since Rabbi Alexander Nesterov arrived in Stavropol, and he's already met with Feofan, which is excellent news.
Feofan and Rabbi Nesterov discussed the people of Stavropol needing religion and how many have been trying to shake the peace. They decided that the religious leaders have to be united.
3 - Then Rabbi Nesterov was brought to meet the grand Mufti of Stavropol, Muhammed-Hadzhi Rakhimov, which is another thing I never got to do, since apparently according to Yefim the Muslim leader 'wanted nothing to do with Jews.'
This is even better news, and is sure to establish Rabbi Nesterov in Stavropol as a religious leader.
They spoke about the necessity to discuss everything that happens in international relations.
Rabbi Nesterov told the Mufti how difficult it was to work with youth today and how they need religion now more than ever. He said that all faiths have this problem and we need to teach them about other cultures and tolerance.
The mufti agreed.
4 - Then he did another thing I didn't get to do. He met with a bubnch of ministers. I'm not sure who the one in the photo is. With him is new community leader Kostya Solomonov.
He spoke with the minister of education about the teaching of history and comparative religion in the schools.
He chatted with the minister of labour and social protection about the government helping socially dependable people. Rabbi Nesterov suggested they organize something in which the community as well as the ministry combine to help these people.
He then met with the minister of justice, where they talked about the the public work of religious organizations and the legal side of it.
He also visited Ministry of Health of Stavropol Territory and the ministry of property relations, Office of Public Prosecutor of Stavropol Territory.
5 - This one I did, but it wasn't organized through Yefim. I just traveled there myself to meet the leaders of nearby Jewish communities.
Here's Rabbi Nesterov with the leaders of the community of Kislovodsk.
They met in the Sochnut offices. Here he is with many of the community leaders who traveled to Stavropol, along with their youth leaders. Natasha Kulugina of the Sochnut is standing in this picture. I'm sure she organized this - she is a very good woman.
6 - And finally, he went around Stavropol visiting the Jews who cannot leave the house. Again, I am sure Natasha took him. Yefim never did anything of the sort, and before one Pesach Natasha went with me to all these very poor people and introduced me to the Jews and I gave them Matza and chatted with them all.
I've written about Gennady Khasminsky, the actor who loved Lecha Dodi and friday night Davening at my home.
Well, here's Rabbi Nesterov blowing the shofar for him in his home (which I also visited). Gennady also is wearing Tefillin.
Keep it up, Rabbi Nesterov!!
Here's a source
4 comments:
The seeds you planted are bearing fruit...
Gut gezogt.
when i lived in russia once i was asked to leave the train on the next station by neo nazi, and if i would not he promissed to break my nose (i am a girl, but it did not stop him) i moved to israel and when i read something like there are new actions of neo -nazi-i just thing-why jewish people all over the world share same countries with such people, why would not them do aliyah?
Agreed, Mia. One day I too will make Aliyah.
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