Historic Russian Shul Rededicated in Kislovodsk

A historic landmark in the Caucasus Mountains of Russia has been returned to Jewish ownership and restored to its original glory, as the Jewish community of Kislovodsk celebrated the rededication of their 135-year-old shul following a massive three-year renovation.

The Chanukas Habayis this week marked the culmination of a project that saw the “restoration of the historic site from foundation to roof,” according to a press release shared with Belaaz from the Chief Rabbi’s office; a process that breathed new life into a building once nationalized by the communist regime.

The event was graced by the presence of the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Harav Berel Lazar, who was honored with the “special dedication ceremony of the entire complex and the affixing of mezuzahs at the doors to the synagogue hall.”

The event drew a wide array of dignitaries, including the district governor, the mayor, and various community leaders. Led by the community’s president, Rabbi Akiva Khudainatov, the guests toured the two historic buildings that comprise the complex.

According to the press release, the officials “were extremely impressed by the magnificent results.”

The transformation was comprehensive. “Dozens of expert workers in the field restored the entire structure, according to photos that have been preserved since then,” ensuring historical accuracy. The project also included a significant expansion, “adding a Beis Medrash that will include a large Torah library.”

A particularly moving moment during the renovations was the discovery of the site’s spiritual roots. “The location of the original Mikva that had operated there was discovered” in the basement. The report noted that despite “cracks and changes that had been made by the building’s residents over the years,” the original craftsmanship remained evident, allowing observers to “get a sense of the impressive beauty that had been invested by the Jews in those years, to build the place with maximum splendor and beauty.”

The massive undertaking was made possible “thanks to the support of the government as well as philanthropist Mr. Naum Babayev, a native of the city, along with additional donors from the community’s friends.”

The shul, built approximately 135 years ago in an area where Tsarist authorities permitted Jews to reside, holds deep historical significance for the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, to which Rav Lazar is affiliated.

During its active years before Soviet nationalization, the shul was a focal point for Jewish leadership. It was visited by the fifth Rebbe of Lubavitch, the Rebbe Rashab zt”l, “who even established a soup kitchen in the area, which provided free food daily to every needy Jew.”

The connection continued with his son, the Rebbe Rayatz zt”l, who organized meetings there for rabbis of surrounding cities “to strengthen Judaism in their places of rabbinate.”

Furthermore, the last Lubavitcher Rebbe zt”l “briefly visited the place when he came to meet his kallah and father-in-law [the Rayatz].”

The reclamation of the property began a few years ago when Rabbi Yitzhak HaCohen Kogan of Moscow’s “Bolshaya Bronaya – Chabad” shul managed to redeem the site. He subsequently “transferred a Torah scroll through his student, Rabbi Akiva Khudainatov,” who now heads the community.

Kislovodsk, known famously as Russia’s “City of the Sun,” is “blessed with mild and sunny weather most of the year.” The newly renovated shul is expected to serve as a spiritual hub not just for locals, but for visitors as well. The site is described as “a magnet for the city’s Jews and the many tourists who visit the area for its mineral waters and clean air.”

The ceremony concluded with a show of unity from across the Russian Jewish community. A congratulatory letter from the president of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Russia, Rabbi Alexander Boroda, was read by Rabbi Aharon Gurevich, the Russian Army and Prison Chaplain.

Honors were shared among distinguished guests, including the Shliach and Rabbi of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rabbi Yitzhak Gorelik; the Rabbi of Piategorsk, Rabbi Eliyahu Levin; and Rabbi Levi Shabayev of Nalchik.