SOUTH-KAZAKHSTANI OBLAST

Jewish organizations in Shymkent City "Hesed Shimon" Director Bella Atran City Jewish Community Center Jewish Cultural Center Chairman Eduard Atran Religious Community Head Zeyev Mordukhayev

  The administrative Center is Shymkent City.

  The territory of South-Kazakhstani oblast is 116,3 thousand kilometers. The population is about 2 million people. The administrative center is Shymkent City (formerly Chimkent, in 1914-24 - Chernyayev).

  Shymkent City is a railway junction. The population is about 400 thousand people. There are different branches of industry: oil, chemical, food and etc. in the city. The biggest among them is a joint-stock company "Phosphor" which produces chemical fertilizers and other things for agriculture, a joint-stock company "Chimkentshina" producing goods for motor-car industry, oil-refining and cotton-cleaning plants.
  There are 3 theatres and 3 universities in the city.
  Shymkent City is known from 12 century. More information about the history of the city and oblast can be received from the museum of regional.

  The representatives of Jewish population live all over the territory of the oblast.

  Since 1997 American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (AJJDC, "Joint") cooperates with Ust-Kamonogorsk Jewish national organizations. Welfare Center "Hesed" sponsored by "Joint" started working here in 1998.