Nearly 24 hours, one lost bag, a knitting lesson and few airplane meals later, I arrived in St. Petersburg, Russia, from Cleveland.
Although I had been advised by past participants about what to pack, people we would soon meet and sites we might see, I quickly realized that no words or pictures could adequately prepare us for this powerful 10-day experience with the re-emerging Jewish community there.
I was there to participate in the Pesach Project, a collaborative program initiated in 1997. It exists through a partnership between North American Jewish communities, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and Hillels across the Former Soviet Union (FSU).
Our delegation included young leaders and students from America, Israel and Russia, representing a spectrum of Jewish observance, life experiences and languages.
At first our differences appeared to be challenges, even obstacles. It was evident that we all practiced our Judaism in very different ways, some through more ritual, others through a cultural expression and some not at all.
Our week together was a chance to teach each other through our own experiences and traditions. We put our strengths together for days that were filled with home seders, visits to homebound elderly, and seders in Hebrew schools and large community centers.
Among the primary goals of the Pesach Project are to make connections between Jews from the FSU and the global Jewish community and to expose North American and Israeli young leaders to FSU Jewish life.
Before arriving in Russia, each Clevelander was paired with an Israeli from Beit She’an, Cleveland’s Partnership 2000 region, and two students from the St. Petersburg Hillel.
In addition to showing us around the city and translating during our home visits, Russian students Anya and Ollya became my friends. Alex, my Israeli counterpart, provided a living example of the importance of the freedom to be a Jew and live in the Jewish state.
During one of the first afternoons in St. Petersburg, the four of us spent time at a local café talking about our own lives — school, camp, our families and dating, finding commonalities between all of us.
On the first day of Passover, the entire Pesach Project delegation pooled its members’ talents, spending the day together at Hillel, communicating in English, Hebrew and Russian to put together a memorable seder.
Among us we discovered the artists, the public speakers, those who love to work with children and those who would lead the group in traditional Passover prayers.
I lit the candles and recited the Shehecheyanu, which, as always, symbolized our thanks and prayers for being where we are today. I was especially honored to lead everyone in this prayer that I have recited so many times with my own family.
We recognized together many firsts: being in St. Petersburg, celebrating Passover with all of these people, the first night of Passover, and, for some, the first feeling of understanding of personal freedom in their lives and, especially, in their Jewish identity.
Many people attending had never been to a seder before, while others only began celebrating the Jewish holidays again after the fall of Communism.
We Americans were reminded how fortunate we are for our freedoms, opportunities and the chance to freely celebrate our Judaism.
After experiencing Judaism in a country so different from my own, my Judaism is even more so a blessing and a responsibility for me. I returned to Cleveland with a renewed sense of purpose.
I am also reminded of the importance of the state of Israel and the power of making personal connections with Jews all over the world. Perhaps next year I will celebrate in Jerusalem.
Rebecca Youngerman, a native of Madison, lives in Cleveland and is associate director of the Anti-Defamation League’s Ohio/Kentucky/Allegheny regional office.
