Vandals Set Fire To Shul In Obninsk, Russia

By FrumNews.com

The Jewish community in Obninsk, a city 100 kilometers southwest of Moscow, Russia, was shaken Wednesday night after vandals set fire to their local Shul. The attack, which targeted the Shul’s electrical room, caused significant damage but thankfully resulted in no injuries.

According to the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia (FJC), vandals attempted to break into the Shul by smashing windows and forcing open the main door. After those efforts failed, they resorted to arson, setting fire to the electrical box that powers the building.

B’Chasdei Hashem, the fire was eventually contained, and repairs were completed quickly, allowing the Shul to restore power and proceed with davening on Friday night as scheduled.

Local authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, aiming to bring the vandals to justice. The FJC has condemned the attack as a deliberate act of vandalism and highlighted the need for heightened security measures to protect religious sites across the country.

This event mirrors the attack on the historic Shul in Derbent during a large-scale terror attack in Russia’s southern republic of Dagestan last month.

The terror attack in Dagestan left 15 dead, injuring many others, and left the Derbent Synagogue, also known as Kele-Numaz, in ruins, r”l,

Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar, expressed deep concern over the incident. In his statement, he drew parallels between this attack and recent terrorist attacks in Dagestan, underscoring a broader pattern of violence against religious sites. “Whoever is behind this latest attempt at terrorism, it is evident that it is in the same context as the arson attacks in Makhachkala and Derbent,” Rabbi Lazar said. He emphasized the importance of a firm response to such extremist acts and called for global unity in upholding sacred values.

“The leaders of our country, Baruch Hashem, take a principled stance on this issue, demanding a tough response to each extremist attack. I sincerely hope that the law enforcement agencies will quickly find and appropriately punish both the perpetrators and the organizers of the attack in Obninsk,” he added.

The small Jewish community in Obninsk, known as Russia’s Atomic City due to its scientific research institutions, is resilient in the face of this adversity. The swift response by local authorities and community members prevented further damage, but the psychological impact on the community remains significant.

As Rabbi Lazar concluded, “We will pray for humanity to finally return to eternal values and for a respectful attitude towards sacred things to prevail everywhere.”