URALSK Jewish Cultural Center Chairman Olga Dergachyova Phone number +7 (7112) 54-67-35

  Jewish Cultural Center in Uralsk City in contrast to other oblast centers of Kazakhstan was one of the first centers established there. In 1989 was called the Organizing Committee to establish National Cultural and Educational Society began by two men - Abram Yagninskiy, a teacher of history and director of school and Felix Bayukanskiy, the head of Uralsk City Department of Culture. Constituent Assembly took place on 19 December the same year in the hall of the Palace of Culture in Uralsk City. More than 200 people participated in it. The representatives of local authorities and mass media were invited to it. The advertisements about the convocation were published in press, radio and local TV. The Organizing Committee contacted Moscow Jewish Center and their representative and Lyubov Stuchevskaya - the performer of Jewish songs flew from Moscow to participate in grand opening.

  Regulations and Program were accepted there, they were registered by the decision of Uralsk City Executive Committee on 9 February 1990. And Cultural Center started working. The Center organizing public lectures on history of Jewish people was established. That time in 1989-1990 there was not any literature on this theme in Uralsk City. And the first lecture was read according to the materials about Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee and about so-called process on "Murders in white smocks".

  In 1992 Sunday school was established and it has been working till present day. The director of the school is professor Maina Pankina. Children can study Hebrew, history and traditions of Jewish people, music and dance in it.

  One should note that Jewish Community in Uralsk City exerted influence on the development of education, culture and health care service of the city.

  For instance, the head of City Department of Education was Jew. During the Second World War a group of big Jewish specialists came to Uralsk City from Leningrad and helped to establish a big munitions factory. And after the War Tyomkin - the Head Physician of Oblast hospital and teacher Feigelson did their bit in development of education and health care service.

  Since 1995 "Mitsva" Association (the president is Alexander Baron) helps Uralsk City JCC financially and methodically. This assistance helped to organize food packages for veterans and pensioners.

  Newspapers that are very popular are sent regularly to Uralsk JCC. Unfortunately, the members of the Community can't celebrate all Jewish Holidays but Rosh-Ah-Hannah, Hanukkah, Purim and Pesach they celebrate definitely with a great joy and enthusiasm.
And one more thing, unfortunately the number of Jewish population is declining. If by the end of seventieth there were more than 2000 people, now about 300 people left. Basically, only pensioners stayed there.