The governor of the Yaroslavl region of Russia says he is determined to bring to justice the culprits responsible for last month’s bombing of the Jewish community center here.
“We already know who committed this crime and will make public the results of the investigation in the immediate future,” Alexander Lisitsyn told members of a visiting American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee delegation this week.
The JDC delegation came to Yaroslavl to express solidarity with the Jewish community here in the wake of the April 19 attack, which caused thousands of dollars of damage to the community’s central Jewish facility.
The governor also expressed regret over the incident, saying that it was unfortunate that some people in Russia still subscribe to the ideas of Nazism.
Following the bombing, the Jews of Yaroslavl joined hands to rebuild the damaged building.
Nadezhda Nosova, director of the Jewish community center, said dozens of Jews have donated a total of $1,000 toward the restoration of the center.
“People are bringing $10 to $50 each, though most of them are not well-to-do,” said Nosova.
Asher Ostrin, head of the JDC operations in the former Soviet Union, said the incident had served to unify the local Jewish community.
“I think the incident has made them more dedicated to continue going,” Ostrin said.
The Jews here, meanwhile, are still reeling from the incident.
“It happened so suddenly. I got frightened the Sunday school would never be open again,” said Julia Krylova, a 7-year-old student.
“I couldn’t believe the synagogue was blasted,” said Ephraim Levin, 71, a retired engineer.
“This is my second home. I remember my father coming to this synagogue before it was closed by the authorities in the 30s,” he said.
Levin’s grandparents were among the first Jews who settled in Yaroslavl in the 1880’s.
“I mostly regret that local non-Jewish intelligentsia haven’t publicly expressed their attitude toward the bombing,” said Alexander Ruthman, a publisher.
“They are terribly wrong when thinking the incident does not affect them directly.”
Pinchas Goldschmidt, the chief rabbi of Moscow, told the governor that the Jewish community of Russia was deeply concerned about such incidents.
He asked that Yaroslavl authorities provide some extra security measures for the city’s Jewish institutions. He said he has made similar requests of federal and Moscow authorities.
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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.
