In the west Siberian city of Barnaul, local residents have good reason to celebrate. Timed to coincide with Chanukah, the Jewish community of Barnaul also marked the grand opening of their new Jewish Community Center.

The festive ceremony was well attended and involved representatives of both the City and Regional Administrations, leaders and members of the local Jewish community, and an array of other guests. Government officials were quick to congratulate all local Jews on this happy occasion, expressing appreciation for and wishing prosperity and successful work to the Jewish community in the years ahead.

The Chief Rabbi of the Altai Republic, Isroel Noach Kaminetzky, also welcomed guests and shared his heartfelt joy with participants. His sentiments and expectations were echoed by Reb Shlomo Wineshtein and local community leaders Mark Umanskiy and Yakov Katz.

In addition to a Synagogue, the new Jewish Community Center will host a library, Sunday school, a Kolel educational program for adults, a women’s club, a youth club and a community kitchen and dining room. This project was made possible through the sponsorship of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS and the Rohr Family Foundation, headed by Messrs. George and Sami Rohr of Florida and New York respectively.