New Jewish Center and Synagogue Open in Russia’s Automotive Hub Naberezhnye Chelny

A grand Jewish center and synagogue were inaugurated in Naberezhnye Chelny, the capital of Russia’s automotive industry and home to the major Kamaz factories, coinciding with the city’s 400th anniversary. The project received personal economic sponsorship from the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, highlighting its significance in the Muslim-majority republic. The two-story center features an ornate prayer hall, a rich library, an event hall, and a community kitchen.

The center’s establishment is closely tied to Rabbi Chaim David Feuer, the new community rabbi and a young emissary who grew up in nearby Kazan. After losing his father at age 11, Rabbi Feuer was warmly supported by Rabbi Yitzchak Gurelik, the chief rabbi of Tatarstan, which helped him pursue religious studies in Moscow and Israel, where he was ordained. Following instructions from Russia’s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Feuer returned to lead the Jewish community in Naberezhnye Chelny, assisted by his father-in-law, Rabbi Shevach Zlatopelsky, an emissary in Almaty.

The event was honored by Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar, who initiated the mezuzah affixing ceremony and wrote the first letter in a new Torah scroll donated to the community. The celebrations concluded with a cornerstone laying for a modern mikveh to be built on the center’s grounds, completing the spiritual infrastructure for the local Jewish population.