9 hours ago

Ulyanovsk Jewish Community Receives Approval for Major New Center

After more than a decade of planning, the Jewish community of Ulyanovsk, Russia, received municipal approval to move forward with the construction of a major new Jewish community center. The five-story complex, spanning approximately 47,360 square feet, will house a Shul, Mikvah, educational institutions, humanitarian services, and a range of facilities serving thousands of Jews throughout the region • Read More, Photos

The project marks a significant milestone for the community, which has steadily expanded its activities under the leadership of the city’s rabbi and Shliach, Rabbi Binyamin Markowitz. The community’s current premises have become increasingly limited as participation in Shabbat services, holiday programs, Torah classes, and communal events continues to grow. More than 3,000 Jews live in the wider Ulyanovsk region.

Plans for a permanent, expanded home for Jewish life in the city date back more than a decade, when the initiative was first launched by the previous rabbi and Shliach, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Marozov.

The Ulyanovsk municipality has now approved an expansion of the designated construction site in the city’s Leninsky District, clearing a major regulatory hurdle on the path toward construction.

The approval process was advanced with the support of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia, under the guidance of Russia’s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Berel Lazar. Following years of administrative planning, the necessary municipal and legal approvals are now in place, allowing the community to proceed with the ambitious project.

According to the architectural plans, the five-story building will include a spacious underground level with parking. At the heart of the complex will be a large Shul.

The center will also feature a Mikvah, accommodations for guests staying for Shabbos and Yom Tov, a kosher café, and a spacious dining hall.

An expanded charitable meal program will provide food and assistance to elderly residents, people in need, and community members living alone.

Education and communal life will also have a prominent place in the new facility. A dedicated educational wing is planned to include a Jewish kindergarten, Sunday school, classrooms, a Jewish library, programming space for senior citizens, and a museum documenting the Jewish heritage of the region.

Community chairman Mr. Igor Dvakarov and Shul gabbai Mr. Lev Zingerenko, who have been closely involved in advancing the project, welcomed the approval. They noted that moving from the community’s current, increasingly limited premises into a much larger facility will significantly expand its ability to serve local Jewish families.

With the necessary approvals secured, preparations are now underway for the cornerstone-laying ceremony and the start of construction.

The project is being supported by the 770 Foundation, founded by philanthropist Rabbi Yehuda Davydov. Although construction costs have risen considerably since the original plans were drawn up, community members and supporters are working together to bring the long-awaited center to fruition.