Living abroad, in a new country, with a new language, new laws and a massively different culture is a daunting prospect for many people.
For the Jewish community of the Former Soviet Union in the United States—who make up approximately 10 percent of all American Jews—this holds true to an even greater extent. Their lives are dramatically different compared to their homeland, and even 30 years after most of them immigrated, these discrepancies can still create many challenges, not least a longing for a piece of home.
On the last weekend in March, Lubavitch Youth Organization joined forces with Chamah, an organization set up to serve the Russian-speaking Jewish community, to accommodate such a reality, with the 15th annual Russian-Jewish Shabbaton held in the Hilton Hotel in Parsippany, N.J.
More than 1,200 ex-Soviets with their families attended from across the United States, Canada and Israel. They participated in a spiritually uplifting weekend that provided individuals with a sense of home among their own, with a series of educational workshops, a variety of Jewish and leisure activities, and, of course, fantastic kosher food.
Brooklyn-based singer and performer Tatyana Kalko attests to the power of the Shabbaton’s experience with her second attendance amid her own personal spiritual journey. Kalko, who was born in Belarus to a secular Jewish family, moved to the U.S. when she was five years old and only recently began learning about Judaism.
“It’s so nice to be around Russian Jews because our culture is so specific and so different from American culture. This Shabbaton felt like being at home, with solidarity between all Russian Jews from many diverse backgrounds,” she told Chabad.org.
Importance of Unity in Russian Jewry
The event is about much more than just comforting homesick ex-Soviets in a foreign land. The Shabbaton is designed to reinforce a connection with Judaism by surrounding attendees with likeminded people who have gone through similar challenges.
“This Shabbaton has become an annual tradition for thousands of Ex-Soviet Jews and their families,” said Rabbi Bentzion Laskin, program director at Chamah and director of the Shabbaton. “The theme of the weekend, ‘Am Yisrael Chai,’ resonated deeply with participants, reinforcing their sense of unity, Jewish pride, and connection to their heritage.”
“During the Shabbaton, we were all brothers and sisters, and we were all united. For Russian speaking Jews from around the world, their communal heritage and sharing of communal customs was extremely important.”
Such a theme was incredibly uplifting for the 1,200 participants of the Shabbaton, particularly after the Oct. 7th massacre in Israel. There were many occasions when young men spontaneously erupted into singing and dancing with chants of “Am Yisrael Chai.”
A Shabbaton program committee member, Rabbi Baruch Lepkivker, focuses on the importance of outreach and unity specifically within the Russian Jewish community. “If any Russian Jew has Judaism to share, they are obligated to pass it on, pushing each other to greater heights,” he said.
Conference Theme: Jewish Matchmaking
Capitalizing on that positive vibe around the Hilton Hotel, a variety of world renowned speakers were on show for the audience with 72 lectures held across the weekend. Speakers included: counterterror expert and IDF Reservist Yair Ansbacher; Senior Dayan of the Sydney Beth Din, Rabbi Yehoram Ulman; Touro University professor of speech pathology Isabella Reichel; and NY Israeli Consulate spokesperson Itay Milner, with the main theme of this year’s workshops being Jewish dating and matchmaking.
The matchmaking workshops, led by renowned experts such as Aleeza Ben Shalom, Manis Friedman and Rabbi Yisroel Bernath, were especially pertinent at such an event with many individuals finding their own match at previous shabbatons, underscoring the lasting impact of the program on their lives by returning this year with their families.
One such couple Marina and Alex Braverman returned to the scene of their meeting 13 years after marrying in 2011. As regular attendees of the Russian Jewish Shabbaton, Marina describes the significance of the event for the parents of two. “The Shabbaton is very special to us. The general experience coming back this year was just amazing,” she said.
Speaking to the other individuals at the Shabbaton, Marina continues to stress the impact of the event in inspiring unity among the participants. “Part of the theme of the event was unity and we tried to bring that message over to everyone, how important it is to be united, especially in our times.”
‘It Inspires Them’
With so many ex-Soviets poisoned against Judaism from their early youth, the Shabbaton provides a relief to many, recognising that Judaism is something that can be a positive part of their lives.
“When each person sees how many other people broke through that mental block, it is inspirational. It inspires them in a way that nothing else can,” said Lepkivker.
And, in fact, Rabbi Lepkivker believes that the 2024 event was the best so far, attributed in part due to the physical organization of this year’s edition.
Speaking twice to the participants of the Shabbaton, first at a Friday night singles event, incidentally the same event that brought Marina and Alex together in 2011, and then to the entire audience at the farewell audience, the couple had a jam-packed weekend.
Marina also gave a special mention to the organizers of the event for their thoughtful preparation.
“I appreciate all the organizers that put this together. I know that everyone recognized that all the details were thoroughly thought out and appreciated that.”
With five-star accommodation and children’s programs for the kids, attendees of the Shabbaton were fully able to maximize the offerings. “I have to say that going to the Shabbaton for so many years, I have seen that every single speaker gives 100%. And really, it’s so interesting to hear. The topics are prepared so well, so enticing and informative.”
When asked why she believes this event to be so effective for many, Marina described a judgment-free zone where people of a similar culture can feel a complete unity with those around them.
Rabbi Laskin agrees. “When 1200 Jews whose parents were not allowed to practice Judaism, the joy of being able to celebrate it now openly, is so powerful,” he said.
As Aaron I. Reichel, Esq., describes his time at the Shabbaton this year: “The whole experience felt like the culmination of the transition of the Russian community from repression to exhilaration in an inspired Jewish atmosphere, setting the stage for the ultimate redemption with Moshiach.”
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