A delegation of Israeli cabinet officials and legislators joined Zina Kalay-Kleitman, the country’s ambassador to Ukraine, executives and rabbis in celebrating the opening of classes at a Chabad-Lubavitch run day school in Odessa.

The Sept. 2 “First Bell” ceremony at the Ohr Avner Chabad Day School, one of more than 100 educational institutions throughout the former Soviet Union funded by the Federation of Jewish Communities and the Ohr Avner Foundation, marked the 10th anniversary of the school.

Israeli Communication Minister Yakov Margi congratulated the students, pointing out that the high-profile delegation indicated the importance of the occasion.

“Do you think that in Israel, every school is visited by two ministers and two Knesset deputies for the first bell?” asked Margi. “Believe me, this is an extraordinary event and I cannot even recall something like this happening in Israel.”

Besides Margi, the delegation included Religious Affairs Minister Moshe Kahlon and Knesset members Yoel Hasson and Amnon Cohen.