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A History of Mesirus Nefesh in SaratovRabbi Levin began our conversation with some

background information about the Jews living inSaratov. There are about five thousand Jews, out ofSaratov’s general population of one million. Most

Jewish families reached Saratov as refugees duringthe First and Second World Wars. Traditionally,Saratov’s Jewish community was strongly rooted inTorah and mitzvos. However, in 1937 theCommunists shut down the synagogues andarrested the last rabbi of Saratov, Rabbi YosefBogatin, z”l, who died in prison.

Despite the Communists’ attempts to eradicateJewish practices, the Jews of Saratov did not let go oftheir religion. On fleeing from the Nazis, RebShlomo Bokov, a Torah scholar, returned to hishometown in Byelorussia, only to discover a city inruins. Amazingly, his was the sole surviving housein the city. He sold the home and used the proceeds

to purchase a small house, which heturned into a synagogue. The

Communists did not protest whenthe elderly attended shul, as long asno children joined them.

Despite the danger, the Jews inSaratov constructed a mikvehduring Stalin’s regime. They

knew that if they were caught,they could expect at the

very least a twenty-five-year exile to Siberia, avirtual death sentence.The Ribnitzer Rebbe

‘IN THE MERIT OF OUR FATHERS’Returning the Children of Saratov

to Their Religious RootsBy Dini Harris

Our rapid-fire interview with Rabbi Shimon Levin, Rosh Kollel in Saratov, Russia, and his wife,Alina, underline the fast pace of the outreach work going on there. Though both Rabbi and Mrs.Levin were eager to discuss their work, it took persistence to speak with them as they both workaround the clock and are focused on one objective: disseminating Torah in their hometown, thefifth-largest city in Russia.

Their lively comments reflect the energy and vigor that the Levins channel into their work. Ispoke to the couple for over an hour and a half, but when I put down the phone at last, I was left withthe feeling that they had much, much more to share. The many plans, projects, and programs theyhave either coordinated or hope to implement in Saratov are a sure indication of their passion andenthusiasm for outreach.

Rav Shimon Levinwith two of hisstudents.

encouraged two community members,saying, “Just do, and don’t be afraid.Hashem will help you.”

Heeding his advice, they dug the initialhole. The Communists got wind of it andcalled the gabbai in for questioning. Gropingfor a plausible answer, he stated that he wasmaking a bathtub. Miraculously, theSoviets accepted his claim.

Rabbi Levin believes that the success ofthe Saratov Kollel’s outreach activities isbased on the city’s history of mesirus nefeshfor Torah. “It’s not that we ourselves bringpeople to teshuvah,” he said. “Withoutzechus avos, nothing would happen. It’s themerit of our fathers that gives the power forthe next generation to return to teshuvah.This zechus gives us a lot of siyattadiShmaya.”

Returning HomeBoth Rabbi and Mrs. Levin are natives of

Saratov. In their late twenties, theywitnessed the fall of the Iron Curtain.Though their families were not religious atfirst, the new era of openness in Russiaenabled them to learn Torah without fear ofCommunist reprisal. The couple’sbackgrounds are similar.

Rabbi Levin said, “When I was a youngboy of about nine or ten, my family went toa seminar in Moscow [led by] RabbiYitzchak Zilber, zt”l. He made atremendous impression on us. We saw thatlight shone from his face — everyone saw it.Then my whole family started progressing

in Yiddishkeit. We learned

in the synagogue in Saratov. Then Iattended Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik’syeshivah in Moscow, Toras Chaim. Fromthere I moved to yeshivos in Eretz Yisrael,in Beit Shemesh and the Mir inYerushalayim.

“During the time that I learned inyeshivah, I would spend bein hazmanimback in Saratov. I grew up in the shul. It’smy home. When I was back at home, Iwould try to help the community. RabbiMichoel Frumin, also a Toras Chaimgraduate, is the current official rabbi ofSaratov. He welcomed my outreachactivities.

“After I got married, my wife and Idecided to settle in Saratov to do kiruv. I’min close touch with Rabbi Yitzchak Ezrachiof the Mir, and he guides every step wetake.”

During his first year back in Saratov,Rabbi Levin realized that one couple alonecouldn’t meet all the needs of the Jewishcommunity. He decided to bring a kollel tothe city. The kollel opened six years ago withnine avreichim, and Rabbi Levin is rightfullyproud of its high standards.

“Our kollel learns two sedarim, just likeany proper kollel in Eretz Yisrael, and it is ona very high level. Sometimes kiruvprofessionals sacrifice their own Torahlearning when they go out of town to dooutreach, but here the avreichim actuallyadvance in learning. Every avreich takes amonthly Gemara test. That’s our idea. Itworks. If a person is falling in ruchniyus, hecan’t lift others up.”

Working Around the Clock Each avreich in the kollel is in charge of a

specific kiruv project. The evening kollel isone of its most vibrant programs. Adoptingthe “throw-them-in-the-water-and-they’ll-learn-to-swim” approach of Rabbi MosheSoloveitchik’s Toras Chaim Yeshivah, theavreichim learn Gemara with young menwho do not have any religious backgroundat all. Over time the avreichim providelectures in hashkafah, mussar, Chassidus andhalachah.

The kollel has seen impressive resultsfrom this program. However, Rabbi Levinis convinced that “what makes thedifference is the connection with theavreichim. They invite the students to theirhomes for Shabbos, and the students get tosee what a Jewish family is like. They conferwith the avreichim. That’s what pushes themto make the change.”

The small synagogue purchased byRabbi Bokov over fifty years ago is still usedas the community center, although it issomewhat dilapidated by now. The kollelhosts Shabbatonim there. Each Shabbos isfocused on a target group — families, olderstudents, just boys or just girls.

The kollel couples — and I reiteratecouples, because acceptance into the SaratovKollel is contingent on both spouses’participation in kiruv activities — runholiday events, such as Chanukah partiesand Purim festivals, and constantly inviteSaratov community members into theirhomes.

Rabbi Levin noted, “There is no end of

Rav Shimon Levin, third from right, meets withthe avreichim of the Saratov Kollel.

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HHaammooddiiaa MMaaggaazz iinnee December 15 , 201032

shiurim. There are shiurim almost everyhour of the day. We also lecture insurrounding cities. People come to us fromplaces where there are no kollelim.”

Along with other Jewish organizationsin Saratov, the kollel is involved in projectsto benefit the city’s Jews. Once a month thedirectors of Chabad, which has a strongpresence in the city and runs the localJewish school, the Jewish Agency, and theChasdei Yerushalayim charityorganization, get together for a meeting.They discuss relevant problems, such as arecent wave of anti-Semitism in Saratov,and sometimes collaborate on cross-community programs such as holidayparties.

The Levins help orchestrate a largevariety of programs. “We try to help peoplewith medical problems. We have a chessedfund for people who need money. We havea soup kitchen, and we also give outmonthly food packages. It’s easier to findfunding for these things than for Torahlearning. We have a chevra kadisha and awoman who sews tachrichim for the Saratovand Moscow communities. We even helpJewish people in jail. Once we made a brisfor a man in jail.”

The kollel’s learning program for girls isextremely successful. Mrs. Hallel Kopitmandirects this program. Ukrainian-born, Mrs.

Kopitman was married and living inYerushalayim when Rabbi Levin called andasked the couple to join the Saratov Kollel.Hakaras hatov is the reason the Kopitmansaccepted the position, though it meantleaving a comfortable life in Israel andmoving to Russia, where physicalconditions are considerably more difficult.

“I wasn’t frum from birth. I’m a baalasteshuvah. I know that if the kiruv shelichimhad not come to my family, I wouldn’t havewhat I have today. I wouldn’t have thefamily that I have today. This feeling givesme the strength to work here,” Mrs.Kopitman says.

In addition to being the programdirector, she is dorm mother, counselor andteacher. She explained that the number ofgirls learning in the program changesconstantly and not all the girls are dormresidents. “Once we had thirty. Then somegot married. Now we have fifteen girls. Wehave a house that serves as a dormitory.The big living room is our lecture hall.

“For us, it’s not the number of girls wehave that’s important, it’s the attention thatwe give them…. We help them with theirproblems. We give them our heart and oursoul. We are constantly in touch with them,both by phone and by e-mail. We havelectures three times a week on shalom bayis,Nevi’im, and parashas hashavua. We also

have activities on Rosh Chodesh andaround the chagim. I also give them an artcourse once a week.”

Mrs. Kopitman draws strength from thesuccess of her work. “Once I asked the girlshow they have changed. They said thatthey’ve come closer to religion. It doesn’tscare them the way it used to. They try toobserve [many of the mitzvos; for instance]one girl tries not to wear pants. And almostall of them keep Yom Kippur, somethingthey didn’t know about before learning inour program. One even tries to keepShabbos. Two of our girls got marriedrecently. They are both running properfrum homes now.”

Life in Russia Is Not EasyRight at the start Rabbi Levin made it

clear that the kollel couples would not seekemployment in the community, where “forthe same amount of effort they could bemaking a lot more money. They are busywith this work twenty-four hours a day.”

In the six years of the kollel’s existence,funding has come from different sources.Right after the economic downturn, therewas no funding at all. Rabbi Levin seriouslyconsidered closing the kollel. He testified,“Rabbi Moshe Shapiro, shlita, ofYerushalayim didn’t let it close. He told methat he had a personal request for me not to

(Left) At the groundbreaking ceremony for the newshul in Saratov. (R-L:) Rabbi Michoel Frumin(speaking); president of the Russian JewishCongress; Mr. Yury Kanne; Rabbi Shimon Levin;and Rabbi Yaakov Meir Kubitshek, director andshaliach of Chabad in Saratov.(Below) Artist's rendering of the new shul inSaratov, which is currently under construction.

HHaammooddiiaa MMaaggaazz iinnee 8 Teves 5771

close the kollel, so I did something illogical.I kept it going. And we survived, eventhough we had no money. The only thingwe had to do was cut back on the numberof avreichim. [But] the avreichim literally hadnothing to eat. I told them that I wouldn’thold it against them if they left, but theydidn’t, and I don’t think they cut back ontheir learning or their kiruv activities.

“One avreich even came to me oneSunday and told me that his wife served aspecial cholent that Shabbos. It consisted ofan onion and meat. He had meat becauseyou can buy that at the shul on credit, andhe had one onion left in his house.”

Even when the kollel does have funding,it’s not always easy to live in Russia. Amonth or two can pass without hot water.Kosher food is not freely available inSaratov. Mrs. Kopitman mentioned that thecommunity brings in meat from Moscow,and they can buy fish and fruits andvegetables at the local market. Osem, aleading Israeli manufacturer, exports toRussia, so the kollel families can purchase itsproducts at the local supermarket. ChalavYisrael products are altogether unavailable.That may not seem like such a problem, butMrs. Levin noted that it rules out anordinary cup of coffee.

Challenges, Successes and Future PlansOver the years people in Saratov have

deepened their commitment to Yiddishkeitand Torah learning. Now there are baaleibatim who join the kollel’s morning learningsession. Rabbi Levin’s morning chavrusa is adiamond dealer. “He learns every morning.He’s a Jew, a yerei Shamayim. I enjoy it verymuch. He was completely nonreligious. Hedidn’t know anything. Now he has a sonlearning in yeshivah.”

Rabbi Levin considers the fact that about150 to 200 frum families from Saratov havesettled in Eretz Yisrael another success.Perhaps the figure would be higher, butsome cannot leave for personal reasons.

Rabbi and Mrs. Levin and Mrs.Kopitman all agree that their biggest sourceof nachas are the religious weddings of theirstudents. Mrs. Levin remembers with deepemotion a recent wedding where both thebride and groom were talmidim of kollel

programs. “Though the couple wanted to make the

wedding in Russia, it was too hard fortechnical reasons. So they decided to do it inEretz Yisrael. A kollel couple took care of allthe arrangements, as if they were marryingoff their own children, including finding ahall, a caterer and everything else. Thecouple flew to Israel for a week, had thewedding and sheva brachos, and then cameback to Saratov.”

While young families are the biggestsource of nachas, they also need furtherwork and investment. Mrs. Levin statedsuccinctly, “Making a wedding is technical.But to keep a Jewish family going, you mustbe in touch all the time.” Rabbi Levinadded, “Not only do we need to help themfind a shidduch, we need to help them staytogether afterwards.”

Some of the kollel’s future plans revolvearound the new shul currently underconstruction in the backyard of RabbiBokov’s small, dilapidated, century-oldsynagogue. Rabbi Levin said he expects thenew building to help the kollel centralize itsactivities. In addition to the large beismedrash, the synagogue building will have afew motel-style rooms with beds. This willenable people to participate inShabbatonim even when their homes arenot in walking distance of the shul. RavYosef Shalom Elyashiv, shlita, advised thatthese rooms be constructed toaccommodate women from out of townwho sometimes travel five or six hours inorder to avail themselves of Saratov’sreligious facilities.

Judaism Is Alive Again in RussiaRabbi Levin compared Yiddishkeit in

Russia today with the Yiddishkeit there

when he was a small boy. “Back then, Jews in Russia knew next to

nothing about being Jewish. People had tocome from outside Russia to teach us. Theyhad to provide the funds for all ourreligious articles and needs. It was like asick person who needed infusions fromoutside sources to get better. Now I go tofundraise in Moscow and in Saratov itself.We don’t have to turn to outside sources.Our avreichim were born in Russia, left to goto yeshivah, but they’re coming back toteach Torah in their hometowns.

“We [in Saratov] are building a big shuland we need a lot of money. We’ve built theskeleton, but we need to finish it beforewinter sets in. If we don’t finish it before thebitter cold, then everything will be ruined.Recently, a wealthy man in Saratov calledme to his office and reminded me that Ineeded to finish the frame before winter. Itold him that I didn’t have the money. Hetold me not to worry, and he raised themoney from his own funds and from otherlocal business people. Though he looks likehe’s completely nonreligious, he’s willingto devote himself to building this Torahinstitution. Here in Russia, Yiddishkeit isstarting to flower.”

Indeed, with the help of the Levins, theKopitmans and the other kollel couples whoare watering the fertile Jewish communityof Saratov with Torah, it will, b’ezrasHashem, bloom. ❚M

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Celebrating a bar mitzvah.

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