We support approximately twenty small Jewish communities throughout Belarus to rebuild their social and religious life. To this end, we work closely with the Union of Belarusian Jewish Public Associations and Communities (UBJOC), an important local partner for us.

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The communities formed after Perestroika are making every effort to renew and actively reshape community life, promoting Jewish identity and culture in many different ways. The focus is on imparting Jewish knowledge and being involved in education and youth work. These efforts tie the flourishing Jewish life before the Second World War to today, to uncover and preserve that legacy.

 

For selecting the communities and their projects, we rely on the knowledge of UBJOC, the umbrella organization serving all the small communities. Every year the ajs designates a significant portion of funds to be used by the UBJOC. The ajs contributes the main part of the Union's budget for serving smaller communities.

 

We have visited the following congregations in recent years:

 

• Slutsk, 2019, 2017, 2012

• Vitebsk (Vitebsk), 2018

• Grodno, 2016

• Brest, 2015

• Babruysk(Bobruisk), 2014

• Baryssau (Borisow), 2013

• Salihorsk (Soligorsk), 2012

• Baranowitschy (Baranowitsch), 2011

 

There are currently 45 small communities registered in the UBJOC.The Council meets at least every three months, usually in Minsk, and discusses important issues. Each municipality sends a representative to the UBJOC Council.

 

The work of the UBJOC goes far beyond just supporting small communities. Rather, it also represents the interests of Jewish populations vis-à-vis the government, coordinates the local Jewish educational institutions, promotes the emergence of new Jewish organizations, maintains contacts with Jewish organizations in Israel and other countries, promotes the cultural and scientific exchange with other communities, monitors anti-Semitism, and tries to preserve the memory of the Holocaust.