600 Russian Jews gathered this past wekend for Limmud FSU St. Petersburg, a three-day festival of Jewish learning and culture. St. Petersburg today is one of the most vibrant, flourishing Jewish communities in the former Soviet Union, with roughly 100,000 Jews, making it the second-largest Jewish community in Russia. Annual conferences, started in 2011, reflect high intellectual caliber and cultural-oriented programming.

“We take pride in playing a central role in one of the most dynamic Jewish communities in Russia” said Chaim Chesler, founder of Limmud FSU, during the festival. “This project truly has it all – a wonderful atmosphere, high quality program and presenters, enthusiastic spirit and a very engaged audience hungry for a Jewish learning experience. This is our seventh event in St. Petersburg, and we look forward to continue the tradition for many years to come.”

“This is my second time at Limmud,” said Masha Kagan (25) from St. Petersburg, “I was so excited after my first one in 2017 that this time I brought along my parents, and my best friend. It is such an amazing and unique experience; every member of the Jewish community here should experience it at least once. Next year I also plan to be a volunteer.”

Limmud FSU St. Petersburg was made possible thanks to a devoted team of volunteers and the generous support of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, the Genesis Philanthropy Group, JDC, the St. Petersburg Jewish Religious Community, Nativ – Israel Prime-Minister’s office, Jewish Culture House ESOD, the Russian Jewish Congress, the Jewish Agency, Joel Passick and others.