One of the brightest events of this autumn for the Jewish community in Kostanay became OFEK-2004. The festival started with musical hall, devoted to life and works of Isaac and Maksim Dunaevskiy. The evening was conducted by Anastasiya Palant, a leader of city JCC musical club. The concert was prepared by a teacher of musical school Elena Fisenko.

   The next meeting with OFEK was held specially for creative intelligentsia of Kostanay. Local poets, journalists, musicians were among the guests. Vladimir Lyahovetskiy, the author of 6 poetry collections, had been reading his own poems. Further the auditorium got acquainted to photography - a hobby of Evgeniy Galyan, an engineer-builder. Evgeniy had generously given his works to the community members. Photos of an amazing beauty were also represented by geologist Vladimir Kovriga. He is a master of landscape: "Fire", "Dawn", "Fountain", "Swan" and other works of him didn't let a single person be indifferent.

   Creative articles exhibition, which became the third event of the Book Festival in Kostanay, showed that there are a lot of people with creative hobbies. For example, nobody knew that recently died Lev Kooperman, a leading builder and architector, was fond of wood sculpture. His works were exhibited by Olga Lvovna, his daughter. As for Zinaida Buras, she is good at sewing puppets. Her works has helped the community members to stage puppet plays. And articles of beads by Anastasiya Palant were also highly appreciated by the most capricious fashionable women.

   As always 88-year old Emma Reznikova had no equal in a culinary contest "Jewish cookery", which was held in the middle of September in Hesed. Despite her age, this woman participates in all the community activities and it goes without saying that she is just a wonderful cookery.

  But of course, the main point of all those holiday events was Book. That seems to be the main reason why citizens liked literary evening "Nation of Book chooses Book". Exhibition of religious literature and books on Jewish tradition interested not only the community members, but ordinary citizens of Kostanay as well.

   One of OFEK days was devoted to children's book - young book lovers gathered in a children's library. Quizzes, games and a play, performed by young artists - none felt dullness.

   The final concert of festival was held in a musical school #2. One could hear poems of Jewish authors, songs in Hebrew. Contest winners got prizes.

Lidiya Kazakevitch