Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine:

Dneprodzerzhinsk.

In July 2006 the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the synagogue building took place. Those stones that formed the foundation of future synagogue that day were carefully removed from the walls of the old synagogue that once stood on this spot and was constructed by the inhabitants of the city in 1913.

At the ceremony to lay the foundation stone of the Synagogue the Chief Rabbi of Dnepropetrovsk Shmuel Kaminetsky said: "A man lives only 70 or 80 years but his life goes on in his children and grandchildren."

Two years have passed. During this time, the townspeople watched the quick unprecedented construction.

Very soon the building was completed and a new synagogue and Charity Center widely opened its doors to all Jews of the city. The spacious rooms of a 4-storey building with total area of 2,000 sq. m. housed a synagogue prayer hall, charity soup kitchen, rooms for classes. Here the Torah classes and "farbrengens" (Hasidic meal) take place, Youth meetings, children's and women's clubs, hobby groups sessions. Seniors, veterans, disabled - all those who need support and care can get it in the synagogue and the charity community center. Jewish women can visit the well-equipped mikvah - a pool for ritual ablutions. And for children and youth the community center has become a favorite place for leisure and recreation.

Opening of a new synagogue building was an important event for the community. All were looking forward to that day and believed that a new Jewish home is the core of the community and cultural center of the city where one can learn from the millennial legacy of Jewish culture and spirituality.