This year, the main Lag B’Omer celebration in Dnipro took place on the grounds of the world’s largest Jewish center, “Menorah.” The spacious courtyard of the center became a meeting place for over a thousand people – members of the Dnipro Jewish Community, guests of the city, children from educational institutions, and participants in numerous educational, charitable, and humanitarian projects.
The holiday began with the listening to an audio address by the Seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, in which he speaks about the significance of Lag B’Omer, the importance of spreading the light of Torah and Chassidus, and the special role of children’s parades in uniting Jewish children around the values of tradition.
Chief Rabbi of Dnipro and the region, Shmuel Kaminezki, addressed the parade participants, congratulating everyone on the holiday and emphasizing the importance of children’s parades, about which the Rebbe spoke repeatedly. In his address, he also expressed special gratitude to the director of the Jewish Lyceum No. 144, Olena Leonidivna Krasnova, and the entire team of educators for their enormous contribution to the preparation of the holiday. Warm words to the community were offered by the Head of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine, Rabbi Meir Tzvi Stambler, as well as Rabbi Moshe Leib Weber – one of the leaders of the international project “Kollel Torah,” whose family took an active part in organizing the event.
The ceremonial part continued with performances by children: students of the “Beit Zindlicht” Children’s Educational Center and younger grades of the lyceum recited the 12 Pesukim, after which a festive song was performed by students of the 2nd grade. A bright conclusion to the opening was the performance of the drumming ensemble of the Dnipro Yeshiva named after Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson.
Afterwards, the festive parade began, its route passing through the historic Jewish neighborhood of the city. Participants walked through the streets with joy and enthusiasm, creating an atmosphere of true unity and celebration. The day concluded with a large community event, which will be reported separately.
Special thanks go to the JRNU organization, as well as the Weber family, for their participation and support of the celebration.
The holding of this large-scale event was made possible through the joint efforts of many people and organizations. The Dnipro Jewish Community expresses sincere gratitude to all community staff, Olena Leonidivna Krasnova, Aliza Rabinovich, and the teams of the Jewish Lyceum, Machon, Yeshiva, Kindergarten, the “Stars” program, the community’s children’s projects implemented with the support of STL, students of the International Humanities and Pedagogical Institute “Beit Chana,” as well as the managers and staff of the Menorah Center for their high level of organization and attention to every detail.
“Special words of appreciation are addressed to the city services, primarily the police officers who ensured safety and order during the parade,” commented one of the organizers of the celebration, Ihor Olehovych Romanov, Director of the Association of Jewish Religious Communities of the Region.
Lag B’Omer in Dnipro once again became a vivid testament to how the united and cohesive Jewish Community, under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki, creates large-scale, inspiring events that combine tradition, joy, and a sense of true Ahavas Yisrael.
