Memoirs of Reb Moshe Chaim Cohen

The story of our secret yeshiva is made up of hundreds of small stories, like a puzzle with hundreds of pieces.

Gavriel taught in the upper grades and his abstention from writing on Shabbos would be obvious to his pupils. Instead, he told them that he wanted to develop their self confidence and speaking skills. Therefore, once a week, he would choose one of them to be the teacher.

"Your Children Should be Like Him"

Why was it so important to him that I attend the sheva brachos?

A Nighttime Adventure

The young couple did their best to live an observant Jewish lifestyle, even in this forsaken town.

In His Illustrious Grandfather's Courtyard

Secret Yeshiva in R. Gavriel's Home

Despite the precautionary measures taken, after some time the neighbors noticed too many boys going in and out of the house.

A Simple Villager's Final Act

The Fayzakov brothers' story of how they came to our yeshiva was a striking one, though quite sad.

When the Russian Policeman Began Reciting Kaddish

He looked uncomfortable and it was clear that he was afraid of the dead.

Bar Mitzvah in Kutaisi

When he attends a Bar Mitzvah nowadays, celebrated in beautiful halls, with great pomp and elegance, he cannot help but contrast them to his own Bar Mitzvah.

The Math Teacher’s Secret

I knocked on the door and to my utter surprise, it was opened by my math teacher! I nearly fainted.

Losing a Tooth for Shabbos

Every year, in honor of Lenin’s birthday, the school, along with the rest of the country, would dedicate the day to volunteer work.

Saying Goodbye

A school for working youth was different than a regular school. In any other school, the students were afraid of the teachers; over here, the teachers were afraid of the students.

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Samarkand »

By Hillel Zaltzman

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"Samarkand" tells the story of the Chassidic underground that operated in the Soviet Union, upholding Judaism during the rule of communist terror. Gripping narrative sweeps the reader to distant lands, and paints a picture of mysterious figures in Samarkand's alleys, secret Torah study under the constant threat of arrest by the KGB, and the long and hard fought victory in inspiring Jewish renaissance throughout the Soviet Union.

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