Ulyanovsk celebrated the opening of its first Jewish kindergarten. The name of the kindergarten, "Gan Nes," means “miracle garden.” Rabbi Yossi Morozov explained, “It is a true miracle that we managed to open up a preschool, despite the many obstacles we encountered.”
It all began when a group of mothers approached Rabbi Yossi and Suri Morozov with the request to open up a Jewish preschool. One mother's primary concern was kosher. "How can I send my children to a local preschool where they will be served non-kosher food?" she asked. For others it was the desire to have their children receive a Jewish education. One mother explained, "I was brought up with no Jewish upbringing, how am I supposed to educate my children to be proud Jews?" A third mother explained, "To me it does not matter necessarily that my children be religious, but if my child will be educated in a Jewish environment, that will guarantee that she will grow up to be a good person, and that's important to me!"
The Ulyanovsk Jewish community is extremely poor. But despite this fact and many other obstacles, Gan Nes was finally opened. The school’s newly renovated state-of-the-art facilities include a play room divided into educational sections (library, kitchen, store, doctor’s office, sensory corner, art center, blocks, puzzles) two classrooms, and a kitchen (with separate cooking and dining areas). The lobby is colorfully decorated with a special cubby for each child.
In addition to regular studies, the children in Gan Nes will learn dance, Hebrew, English and about Jewish holidays and traditions. Learning will be multi-sensory.