Some 200 Jewish youths from Russia and other regions in the Commonwealth of Independent States gathered in Jerusalem earlier this month to embark on a nearly week-long journey that connected them to each other and their Jewish roots, and found them returning home with renewed inspiration for Judaism.
These teenagers were part of the EnerJew youth movement, which has grown rapidly across the former Soviet Union in the last few years. They arrived in Israel’s capital for a motivational seminar that combined travel to holy Jewish places, memorable visits with Israelis and engaging activities prepared by the movement’s coordinators.
Over the course of five days, the group toured the Old City of Jerusalem and prayed at the Western Wall, traveled to Tel Aviv and the Chabad-Lubavitch village of Kfar Chabad, climbed Masada at sunrise and slept in Bedouin tents, all the while engaging in stimulating discussions and workshops.
For most of the teens, it was their first visit to Israel, and the exhilaration was palpable. “I just had an explosion—an explosion of emotions. I am a little shocked and beyond excited,” said one teenage boy from Odessa, Ukraine.
Initiated by the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS under the leadership of philanthropist Lev Leviev—and supported by the Finger Foundation, the Jewish Agency for Israel and the L.A. Pincus Fund—EnerJew launched in 2013 with five initial cities.
An additional five cities have joined every six months, reaching 20 at this point, and making EnerJew the largest Jewish youth movement across the former Soviet Union. It attempts to change the current status quo of post-Soviet passivity, reviving communities and shaping them into proactive, empowered incubators of Jewish life.
‘Changed Our Lives’
“Our main focus is on three key points: connection, continuity and initiative,” said EnerJew project director Konstantin Shulman. “It is important for young people to connect with one another, make friends and socialize within the Jewish community. The project activists in each city also make sure that there is a continuous stream of activity—be it educational, social or otherwise.”
Jewish initiative is one of the prime goals of the movement. For example, the seminar featured a social-projects fair with teams from each city competing for the prize: a mini-grant enabling the winners to make a pilot project and test it in the real world. “These kids are the future of Russian Jewry,” stressed Shulman. “We want them to learn to take an active part in it.”
This year’s participants came from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Some had stronger Jewish backgrounds, coming from the Or Avner network of Jewish schools. Others have only recently jumped on board, discovering EnerJew through peer recommendations and social-media reviews.
“These few days have changed our lives,” wrote one first-time participant in a post-seminar review. “I realized that I’m not just visiting here, but that I came home to family.”
When asked about such a glowing review, Rabbi Moshe Rochlin of EnerJew’s staff stated: “We support and encourage young people with the belief that later on, they will change the community and the world around them.”
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