Naama Issachar, who was pardoned by Russian President Vladimir Putin last month for drug charges and returned to Israel after being imprisoned in Russia since April, continues to light Shabbos candles every week, a practice she began in the Russian prison.

Last Friday, Issachar lit Shabbos candles in her home in Rechovot and sent a picture to Rabbi Shea Deitsch, a Chabad shaliach in Moscow who supported the Issachar family from the time Naama was arrested last erev Pesach.

“It’s almost a year since we met,” Issachar wrote to Deitsch. “I haven’t forgotten – lighting the candles for Shabbos.”

Rabbi Deitsch said: “Naama was arrested here about a year ago, and b’chasdei Shamayim…she was released Baruch Hashem, after a relatively short time. On erev Shabbos…she sent me moving pictures of her table and the candlesticks prepared likvod Shabbos Kodeh, like she’s done since [her release] every erev Shabbos.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)