‘Nuclear’ synagogue opens near Moscow

A city near Moscow built in 1945 to house the staff at the world’s first nuclear plant has finally opened its first synagogue.

With about 400 Jews now living in the city of Obninsk and others from the capital expected to move there, Jewish leaders in Russia felt the time was right for a place of worship. 

Russian Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar attended the opening and said: “Our goal is not only to restore what was destroyed by the Communist regime, but also to build even more than was there before.”

The city’s Rabbi Aron Golovchiner told Russian media that the shul would begin by holding Shabbat services, expanding to weekday services according to demand.