Students of the Nachas Educational Project marked the end of the study year. This special program is sponsored by the Shiurey Torah Foundation for middle-aged and elderly men who are considered “at risk.” Among this year’s 40 participants there are former inmates, alcoholics, and many severely impoverished senior citizens, all of whom need special care and extra warmth. That is why the project, directed by Rabbi Zev Vinogradov, is called "Nachas" ("Pleasure").
Studies for the year ended with a unique final exam, conducted by Dan Makogon, the vice-president of the Shiurey Torah Foundation, and Zelig Brez, the director of the Jewish Community of Dnepropetrovsk.
“The candidates have shown knowledge of the morning blessings, the blessings on various kinds of food, some of the laws and customs of daily Jewish life, and can read the Hebrew text of the prayer book,” explained Rabbi Vinogradov. “Following the well-known dictum of one of our Sages, Rabbi Shimon, the son of Gamliel, ‘It is not what one says, but rather what one does, that makes a difference’ (Pirkei Avot 1:17), the exam addressed the question of how the study of the Torah and Jewish law has changed the daily lives of the participants.
This past year, 10 members of last year’s group underwent Brit Mila, 15 students had mezuzas put on their doorposts where they live, 13 participated in the commandment of writing a Torah scroll and seven have begun celebrating Shabbat with their families. Almost all of the participants now wear tefillin daily, participate in the daily morning services and recite Psalms on a daily basis.
When summing up the results of the exam, Dan Makogon noted the great progress that has been made by the participants in their involvement with Jewish communal life. The Dnepropetrovsk Jewish Community is a foremost member of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine