By Irina Shikhova, Coordinator of the JDC Educational Programs

On March 23, “Hillel Youth Synagogue” opened its doors for the whole community. Hillel conducted the complete service of Kabbalat Shabbat for 150 people in the Trade Unions’ Palace of Culture. From that time on, Hillel celebrates Shabbat together with community every month. This project has no other examples in Hillel history in FSU!

Nisan opens the new year of Jewish spiritual revival. At this time we celebrate Pesach, a great Day of Liberation. There is something symbolic about the fact that Kishinev Jews have met the first Shabbat in Nisan Rosh-Hodesh together with Hillel Club. Hillel students have been getting together weekly to meet Shabbat for a long time, but they do it in a small hall of the Jewish community of Kishinev that they share with other educational programs. This hall cannot host more than eighty people; therefore, the number of guests the students would be happy to invite was limited so far. At last, we decided to take a risk and the JDC, supporting us, rented a special spacious hall for the evening Shabbat service.

Imagine - the spring was beginning, it got warm and the buds started opening. Suddenly, on the eve of the holiday, the winter seemed to have returned. Rain turning into snow, ice-cold piercing wind, and our unheated hall. First the students were afraid they would forget the words, but this gave way to the fear that nobody would come. Their worries did not materialize, as a nasty weather did not scare Kishinev Jews, driven by their roots. Or was it a God's miracle? The hall, as if heated up by the young energy of Hillel students and the warmth of 150 praying people, got cozy and welcoming.

They met newcomers and led them to their seats. Men, according to tradition, were taken to the eastern side. Everybody received a locally made sidur, while men were given kipot, though many knew to come with their heads covered. Shabbat candles were burning on the table. The walls were decorated with Shabbat posters created by amateur painters from Hillel. In a conspicuous place there was a 'hint' poster stating the pages of sidur with principal prayers and psalms. The young people not directly engaged in the service were also there to help with a needed page and line.

The students have been gathering experience for several years and have learned a complete service; it sounded exactly the way it sounds in every synagogue and the way it sounds on the Holy Land in Jerusalem. The service was led by students’ rabbi Alexander Sandler, Coordinator of Lerhouse Educational Program and students’ khazan Renat Bairamov, now responsible for the Student Synagogue Program. Other students helped them - the Chief Hillel Coordinators Yulya Kogan and Igor Furer, Vitya Brodsky, Jewish Renaissance Fellow (Giraffe) of Kishinev Hillel and Marina Kotelya.  They presented additional stories about the month of Nisan, the miracle of Exodus, the significance of joint prayer for both every individual and the whole of the Jewish community. While praying, all those present felt the unity. Among them there were both collaborators of the JDC and clients of the Hesed, and also leaders of the republican and city Jewish community. Yigal Kotler, Representative of the JDC in Moldova said Kiddush on wine and Hallah. 

Therefore, Hillel Student Club turns into the center that gathers the biggest minyan in Kishinev, and brings back to life the traditional spirituality that is historically so characteristic of the Jews from Bessarabia.