Fathers and Sons Join Together in Moscow for Chanukah Celebration

Moscow’s Avos Ubanim program, which unites fathers and sons to learn together every week, held their annual Chanukah event in the Marina Roscha center, with the participation of Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar.

Nearly 200 fathers and sons gathered in Moscow’s Marina Roscha shul for a Chanukah celebration, saluting their weekly study as part of the Avos Ubanim program.

Held every Motzei Shabbos, the Avos Ubanim program brings together hundreds of boys and their fathers, hailing from from all shades of the Jewish spectrum in Russia’s capital. Even during the harshest weeks of the winter, with temperatures well below zero, the shul is full, with the fathers and sons enjoying a hour of spiritual bliss while learning Torah together.

Every year during Chanukah, an event is held to celebrate the participants’ dedication to joining the weekly event, and this year was no different. The event was graced with the participation of Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar, who greatly encourages the program throughout the year.

The event began with an hour of study, with the fathers and sons joining together again to learn. At the conclusion of the learning, Rabbi Lazar distributed to each boy two bills of 100 ruble, together with his personal wishes for continued success in their studies.

The shul’s gabbai, who organized the event, rose to address the crowd, and opened his talk with a tefillah for the hostages, injured, and refugees in Eretz Yisroel. He then thanked mechanech Rabbi Yeshayahu Gross in the name of the fathers and boys, for his dedication in running the Avos Ubanim program.

The program then continued with lighting the second candle in the menorah, followed by a joyous music and dancing, with the fathers and sons joining hand to the sound of chassidishe music.

Mashpia Rabbi Elazar Mordechai Grossman encouraged the children with warm words about the importance of their Torah study, and the program concluded with a raffle on a silver menorah. The winner was Yehuda Mondshine, who was called up with his father, Rabbi Dovid Mondshine, to receive the prize.