For this reason, a group of Jews from the community arrived in Astana on 24th Tammuz to find out more about Judaism. They visited the shul, where they encountered vibrant Jewish community life. They also asked Chief Rabbi Yeshayah Elazar Cohen to visit them in their hometown, and of course Rabbi Cohen accepted the invitation.
When Rabbi Cohen arrived in Karaganda, he found a strong core community with a thirst for Judaism. Karaganda has one of the largest Jewish communities in Kazakhstan, and it needs a strong leader to guide and teach its members. Chabad has started to develop a special program to provide Jewish values to the members of the community. “I was pleasantly surprised to see their strong desire for a permanent Rabbi,” reported Rabbi Cohen. “This will speed things up.’
At a meeting after the visit, it was decided to begin more activities for Shabbos and the festivals.
