In the distant far east region of Russia, Jewish life continues in one small community in the Jewish Autonomous Republic. The “Shuvu” Jewish Community of Amurzet (Shuva means “return”) has, for the last three years, been led by its chairman, Faina Kravets.
In the beginning, local Azmuret Jews gathered for holidays at a public venue. But when the space was bought by a private investor they began holding their events and meetings in the home of one of the elders of the Jewish community, Mikhail Gelfand. Shabbat gatherings held in the Gelfand home are led by kindergarten teacher Irina Berkovsky.
According to Ms. Kravets, there are more than a dozen families who regularly attend Jewish community events, including the Bergers, Sidelnikovs, Kozlovs, Tatiana Brutman, and Manya Mayorova. In this tight-knit community, every milestone including birthdays and good news are a reason to rejoice. Many of the families have relatives living in Israel and sometimes they see their members off before making aliyah. Recently, one of the more active community members – Iona Bondarev – moved from Amurzet to join his children in Israel.
As well, community members celebrate major Jewish holidays together and gather to enjoy good conversation with one another. Also, thanks to financial support from the “Freud” Jewish community of Birobidjan and the “Mizrach” Jewish community of Khabarovsk, 25 low-income Jewish pensioners living in Amurzet and other villages of the Octyabrsky district, receive food aid parcels in Amurzet once a month.
The Jewish communities of Birobidjan and Khabarovsk, which have been aiding Jews in this remote rural community, are members of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia.