On Sunday, November 13, the Great Choral Synagogue in S. Petersburg was filled to capacity. Hundreds of visitors attended an open house on the International Day of Tolerance.
Guests had the opportunity to participate in a guided tour of the premises, to visit the central hall, and to try delicious pita and humus, prepared by the King Solomon kosher restaurant. They were also able to ask questions of a rabbi. The event culminated in a concert given by the Kiev-based group Klezmer Band Pushkin.
"We wanted to give everyone a chance to see the S. Petersburg synagogue and get a better sense of the world of Jewish culture. We do not want people to think that the synagogue is something that is closed," explained Mark Grubarg, the Chairman of the S. Petersburg Jewish community, upon welcoming the guests.
At the open house there were people from all walks of life, religions and ages: children and seniors, teens and adults, Orthodox Christians and Muslims. Everyone had one common denominator - a healthy curiosity and a keen interest in Jewish culture. Of course, among the visitors, there were also many Jews; for some of them, it was their first visit to the synagogue! "All my life, I myself said we ought to go to the synagogue. And then I heard an ad on the radio and thought, “After all, I am a Jew, aren't I? So here I am today," explained one of the visitors.
The Jewish community of S.Petersburg, headed by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Pewzner and Chairman Mark Grubarg, is a leading member of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia.