Dnepropetrovsk

Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine:

Dnepropetrovsk.

Community history 

The history of the Jewish community in Dnepropetrovsk began almost since its foundation in 1776. In 1791, Empress Catherine II issued a decree "On granting citizenship to Jews in Tauris Yekaterinoslav region and the area." By the turn of XVIII-XIX centuries the Jewish population of the city exceeded 300 people and Jews living in the province exceeded one thousand people. They actively promoted the development of the city, for example, the first stone house built in Yekaterinoslav belonged to a merchant Hirsch Lutsk in the first third of the XIX century. Jewish merchants were engaged in transportation of flax - a major export provinces - through the rapids on the Dnieper River to Odessa. But mostly the Ekaterinoslav Jews were tailors in those days (about a quarter of Jewish families).

In 1897 Jews made up more than 36% of urban population and Jewish industrialists owned about a quarter of businesses of the Ekaterinoslav province. In the early years of the XX century a Jew Spector built a thousans seats cinema - one of the best in the Russian Empire at that time. A monument to Pushkin until now decorates the city and was created by Jewish sculptor Ilya Ginzburg.

Due to the changes in the Soviet Union in the late 80s first attempt to revive Jewish life, culture and community were taken. However, the real beginning of the Jewish revival in Dnepropetrovsk takes part with the arrival of the Lubavitch Rebbe schlich rabbi Shmuel Kaminetsky.

Since June 1990 the revival of Jewish life in Dnepropetrovsk develops in an increasing pace. In 1991 he opened a Jewish school, which for a short time became one of the largest in Europe. Charities and cultural organizations were founded. In 1992, over 5000 Jews take part in a grand Chanukah concert at the "Meteor" Sport Palace. Close connections with the Jewish community of  Boston were established what resulted in opening women's gynecological clinic, a children's clinic in Dnepropetrovsk. Vaccination of children and infants is carried out. Unique medical equipment is granted to some hospitals, programs launched to support women's micro-crediting and "Big Brother -Big sister" program for children from single parent families is iniciated. The rehabilitation of children with special needs (cerebral palsy, autism) is carried out. A project of prosthesis for fractures of the femoral neck is being carried out and more.

System of social assistance to the needy is created. Hostels for boys and girls from disadvantaged families and Beit Baruch soup kitchens function. With the support of the president of the community a regular delivery of food packages for 5000 retirees and the disabled is organized. The Board of trustees of the community helps veterans as well.

Dozens of communities of Ukraine and CIS countries send their representatives to the Dnepropetrovsk Jewish community to learn the experience of its functioning.