An annual three-day festival bringing together Jewish youth from the former Soviet Union is being held in the Moldovan capital of Kishinev.
The Hilleliad, which began Sunday, is a way of attracting Jewish students and showing off their athletic talents, said Hillel regional director Iosif Akselrud. It also includes intellectual competitions and a Jewish tour of Moldova.
“It’s not just a competition but also a festival,” Akselrud said.
Approximately 100 students from Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are participating, as well as what Akselrud referred to as a “guest team” from Russia. Funding was provided by Hillel and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, as well as the Moldovan Jewish Congress.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.