Forty-two young Jewish men from cities across Russia and other FSU countries gathered in Almaty, Kazakhstan, for a two-week Yeshivacation seminar – a joint project of the Tomchei Temimim Sofrino Yeshiva directed by Rabbi Yechezkel Lazar, and the YAHAD youth organization, led by Rabbi Mendy Wilansky – that combined intensive Torah study, Jewish fellowship and opportunities to experience the region’s natural and cultural surroundings.

Selected from approximately 120 applicants, the participants came with varying levels of Jewish knowledge and observance, but with a shared interest in strengthening their connection to Jewish life. The seminar, the longest Yeshivacation program held in approximately a decade, offered them an immersive environment in which learning, prayer, and informal conversations became part of a single communal experience.

The group was joined by approximately 20 students and representatives of the Tomchei Temimim Sofrino Yeshiva. Some served as counselors, prayer leaders and instructors, while also following a dedicated program of their own. Their presence allowed participants to spend time with young men already immersed in yeshiva life, creating opportunities for personal discussion and learning beyond the formal study sessions.

The seminar was held in connection with the annual gathering in Almaty marking the 20th of Menachem Av, the yahrzeit of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. A central moment of the program was the group’s visit to Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s resting place. Participants prayed there and learned about his life, teachings and dedication to Jewish life under difficult circumstances.

Throughout the seminar, the daily rhythm was shaped by morning and evening prayers and a structured study program that included Mishnah, Talmud, Chassidut and Halacha.

Most of the teaching staff came from Tomchei Temimim Sofrino. The instructors included Rabbi Dovber Kniashevsky, Rabbi Nisan Peel, Rabbi Zusseh Goryunov, Rabbi Alexander Sussman Gorelik and Rabbi Yossi Kniashevsky. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Slanimsky oversaw the seminar’s educational program, prepared study materials and coordinated the teaching staff.

The atmosphere of study continued beyond the classroom. During a Shabbaton at the Befine hotel complex, participants joined communal prayers and a Torah reading, followed by a Chassidic gathering that continued into the early morning. Niggunim, discussions and personal reflections gave the participants an opportunity to experience Shabbat as part of a large Jewish family.

Conversations about building a Jewish future were another important part of the program. Participants attended discussions and recorded interviews with visiting guests, including Rabbi Zusseh Gorelik and his wife, as well as Rabbi Reuven Kuravsky. The sessions addressed the importance of establishing a Jewish family and developing respectful, healthy relationships that can form the foundation of a strong and lasting home.

The seminar also connected the participants with the broader Jewish community of Kazakhstan. The group attended events surrounding an international conference in Almaty, which brought together guests from numerous countries and cities in honor of the 20th of Menachem Av. They also participated in the opening of a new mikveh at the heart of the Jewish community of Kazakhstan and attended the conference banquet at the Rixos Hotel.

Alongside the educational and communal program, the seminar included excursions that allowed participants to explore the landscape around Almaty and spend time together in a more informal setting. Trips to canyons, a lake, a horse ranch and the Glass Bridge, as well as quad biking and other recreational activities, provided a balance to the intensive study schedule and helped strengthen the connections formed within the group.

The seminar was hosted at the Befine hotel complex, approximately 30 minutes from central Almaty. Its study areas, accommodations and recreational facilities provided a setting in which participants could move naturally between learning, prayer, conversation and leisure.

Rabbi Moshe Baruch Benish oversaw the seminar’s logistics together with Ariel Maronov and Aviel Zeev Zayayev. Rabbi David Ariel Shapiro assisted with participant recruitment and led the spiritual and educational program, including the schedule, materials and seminar gifts.

The organizers expressed their appreciation to Rabbi Yehuda Davydov, director of the 770 Foundation, and businessman and philanthropist Rabbi Avi Shaulzon. Their support helped make it possible for dozens of young men to spend two weeks discovering Jewish learning, community and a stronger sense of belonging.