Birobidzhan Jewish religious community “Freud”
Photo: EAOMedia news agency archive
December 15, 1939
The Bureau of the Regional Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks and the Presidium of the Regional Executive Committee adopted a resolution “On the capital construction plan for the Jewish Autonomous Region for 1940.” 6 million rubles were allocated for the completion of the construction of the first stage of the Birobidzhan Thermal Power Plant, 4.1 million rubles for the improvement of the regional center, and 4.5 million rubles for the construction of a brick factory with a capacity of 20 million bricks per year.
December 15, 1946
In Joseph Brener’s book “The Country of Birobidzhan” (6+) it is written that on December 15, 1946, a Jewish religious community was first registered in the Jewish Autonomous Region. It was opened in Birobidzhan by the decision of the Council for Religious Affairs as previously operating.
Katz Gersh-Moishe Khaimovich, who arrived in Birobidzhan in December 1933, became the rabbi of the community.
The first Birobidzhan synagogue was located in an apartment in a wooden house at 17 Kalinina Street, which still stands opposite the railway station. This synagogue could not accept all parishioners and, after working there from March to August 1947, the community moved to Chapaeva Street, 3, into a one-story large wooden house with an area of 372 square meters, built in 1936, which previously housed a pottery workshop.
Ten days after the Jewish New Year, on September 24, 1947, on Yom Kippur, the synagogue was inaugurated in the presence of almost 400 people. This event did not go unnoticed by the Commissioner of the Council for Religious Affairs B. Grebennikov.
December 15, 1982
A two-day seminar (12+) of heads of political education offices in the region concluded its work, at which lectures were given on the forms and methods of work of political education offices, on the practice of planning and their work, on the methodology of using practical tasks in the system of political and economic education, and others. To study work experience, the seminar participants visited the political education office of the Birobidzhan garment factory.
December 15, 2000
Social home for single elderly citizens. 2005 Photo: Photo: State Archive of the Jewish Autonomous Region
The 2000s are a time when the volume of housing construction in Birobidzhan is growing, administrative buildings and buildings of socio-cultural significance, modern shopping centers and shops are being reconstructed and put into operation. On December 15, 2000, the first social home for single and elderly citizens was put into operation in the regional center.
A social home for single elderly citizens is intended for permanent residence of single citizens of retirement age, as well as married couples from among them who have retained full or partial ability for self-care in everyday life and need to create conditions for the self-realization of basic life needs.
On the ground floor of the building there are medical, social and welfare services, the regional Council of War Veterans, Labor Veterans, Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies. The Council not only manages the city and district veterans' councils, but also involves veterans in active public life and carries out the patriotic education of youth.
