FORMER PRISONER OF ZION YOSEF MENDELEVITCH MAKES EMOTIONAL RETURN TO THE CITY WHERE HE WAS ARRESTED TO ATTEND LIMMUD FSU
350 JEWS GATHERED IN ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA FOR THE EVENT
St. Petersburg, Russia, Nov. 30 – Former Prisoner of Zion Yosef Mendelevitch made an emotional return to the city where he was imprisoned in the 1970s to join hundreds of Jews from across Russia for the 4th Annual Limmud FSU (former Soviet Union) St. Petersburg this weekend. The three-day Jewish learning festival, at the New Peterhof Hotel, featured a packed program of lectures, workshops, round-table discussions, music and a wide-range of cultural events. With about 100,000 Jewish residents, St. Petersburg claims the second largest Jewish community in Russia today.
Mendelevitch was held in a Soviet prison after being arrested for leading the 1970 “Operation Wedding,” a Soviet Jewish operation to steal a plane from then-Leningrad’s airport and escape to Israel. After gaining his freedom, Mendelevitch made Aliyah to Israel. Mendelevitch was among the main speakers at Limmud FSU St. Petersburg, recounting his experiences in Operation Wedding, recalling celebrating Shabbat in the Gulag, and describing his feelings about returning to St. Petersburg.
“I spent a lot of time in this city but only as a prisoner, so I don’t know it at all,” said Mendelevitch. “I’m certainly not nostalgic. The Land of Israel is the only place to which I have an emotional attachment.”
Participants, primarily from St Petersburg, but also from many neighboring cities and countries (including Moscow, Kaliningrad and Kazan) attended some 80 seminars, lectures, presentations, master-classes, round-table discussions and creative workshops on a wide variety of topics. The topics included Jewish spirituality, tradition and philosophy, ethical issues, current topics in politics and society, arts, music, and dance.
“St. Petersburg has one of the most vibrant and flourishing Jewish communities in Eastern Europe with a rich cultural life, and we are thrilled to be part of it”, said Chaim Chesler, founder of Limmud FSU. “This conference, like all other Limmud FSU conferences, contributes to the Jewish life in the city and leaves a significant impact on the Jewish community members while they are looking to strengthen their Jewish identity.”
Also speaking at the event was Lea Koenig, often called “the First Lady of Israeli Theatre,” who celebrated her 85th birthday with a special party arranged by Limmud FSU.
Like all other Limmud conferences, Limmud FSU in St. Petersburg is egalitarian and pluralistic. The conferences are organized and run entirely by local volunteers who are passionate and enthusiastic about the Limmud mission of strengthening Jewish identity and bringing Jewish learning to Jews of all backgrounds.
In the photos attached: Mendelevitch and Rabbi Shaul Brook from Chabad St. Petersburg at Havdalah ceremony; and visiting St. Petersburg Airport. Photo credit: Roman Yanushevsky, Courtesy of Limmud FSU.
About Limmud FSU: Limmud FSU is a nonprofit founded eight years ago by Chaim Chesler, former treasurer of the Jewish Agency, and Sandra Cahn, philanthropist from New York, to serve young Russian-speaking Jews around the world. Limmud FSU brings together and empowers young Jewish adults who are revitalizing Jewish communities and culture in the countries of the Former Soviet Union, as well as in countries with Russian speakers around the world. The organization operates in Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, the U.S., Canada and Israel. Some 27,000 participants have taken part in its conferences, projects and festivals. Key partners include the Jews International Fellowship of Christians and Jews headed by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, the Claims Conference, JDC, philanthropist Matthew Bronfman, Aaron Frankel, Diane Wohl, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs, Jewish National Fund (KKL), the Jewish Agency, Israel Bonds, and others. For additional details: www.limmudfsu.org.
