Return Of Jewish Communal Properties/Building Jewish Infrastructure

During the Communist reign, hundreds if not thousands of Jewish communal properties such as Synagogues, schools and other building used for religious purposes were confiscated by the authorities and transferred to the State.

With the breakup of the FSU in late 1989, many re-emerging Jewish communities sought to reclaim these buildings to be used once again as Synagogues, Jewish day schools, welfare centers, Mikvaot (Jewish ritual baths) etc.

GJARN was instrumental in helping communities across Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova reclaim properties and also to receive other government properties for these purposes. Many of these building were also refurbished with sizeable grants from GJARN.

Amongst these properties are some of the largest and most magnificent structures and buildings, such as the old Choral Synagogue in Samara, Russia, the lot of the old Jewish Synagogue in Ekaterinburg, Russia on which the new magnificent new Synagogue and community center was built, etc.

Included as well is the former Brodsky Synagogue in Kiev, Ukraine which was turned into a puppet theater and is now restored to its full and former glory, the Great Choral Synagogue and the Shimanov Synagogue in Kharkiv, Ukraine, the Golden Rose Synagogue and also the former Synagogue of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson (father of the late Lubavitch Rebbe), both in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine.

GJARN helped reclaim and rebuild the Shomrei (Farlap) Synagogue in Odessa, as well as helping rebuild the main choral Synagogue in Kherson, Nikolayev, Kremenchug and many other cities in Ukraine.

GJARN also helped local Jewish communities obtain large buildings for the Jewish schools such as School #144 in Dnepropetrovsk (the largest Jewish day school in Eastern Europe), #xxx in Kherson.

Many of these buildings are currently being used as Jewish day schools, Community Centers, Synagogues, Soup Kitchens, orphanages and other community based social service projects.