The first two days of Sukkos, which have the status of Yom Tov, brought together thousands of people at festive tables in sukkos at the Jewish Community of Dnipro. The numerous festive meals became an important part of the celebration of Sukkos, giving community members, their families, and loved ones the opportunity to fulfill together the mitzvos of these special days and to share the joy of one of the main holidays of the Jewish calendar.
These festive meals in the Dnipro Jewish community were made possible thanks to the support of a special program dedicated to the memory of the distinguished rabbi and community leader, one of the leaders of the Lubavitcher movement, Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Kotlyarsky, the long-time director of “Merkaz Lionei Hinuch” and the International Conference of Shluchim. This program is carried out thanks to his son, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Kotlyarsky, the current executive director of the International Conference of Shluchim of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and Merkos 302, with sponsorship in honor of Ruvin ben Golda. Nathan Zolotorevsky, a long-time patron of the Dnipro Jewish Community, and his family also provided significant assistance in organizing the holiday meals; they support the organization of these meals every year during the festival of Sukkot.
Large festive meals took place in the sukkos of the world’s largest Jewish center, “Menorah,” and the Central “Golden Rose” Synagogue, as well as in other synagogues of Dnipro. The wonderful kosher meals gave thousands of people the opportunity to joyfully fulfill all the mitzvos of the festive days of Sukkos. The joint fulfillment of mitzvos, the festive meals, and the joy of fellowship created an inspiring atmosphere and gave everyone the opportunity to feel true achdus – the unity of the Jewish people.
Particularly touching was the celebration at the oldest synagogue of Dnipro, the “Alter Shul” on Kotsyubynsky Street. The wards of the “Good Future” center – people of difficult fate in need of special social support and adaptation – actively participated in all stages of preparation for the holiday: they helped build and decorate the sukkah, prepare it to receive guests, and organize the festive meals. Therefore, for them the celebration of Sukkos became a most inspiring event, which gave them the opportunity not only to take part in the meals but also to contribute with their own hands to their holding and to the life of the entire Jewish Community of Dnipro.
“We are deeply grateful to Rabbi Menachem Mendel Kotlarsky, the International Conference of Shluchim of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and Merkos 302 for supporting this wonderful program in blessed memory of Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Kotlarsky, as well as to our wonderful philanthropist Natan Zolotarevsky and his entire family for their many years of generous assistance in organizing the festive meals of Sukkos,” noted Rabbi Reuven Kaminezki. “Thanks to this support, thousands of people were able during the days of Yom Tov to fulfill the mitzvos of Sukkos, take part in delicious festive meals, and feel true achdus and the care of the united and cohesive Jewish Community of Dnipro under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki.”
