(Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Krivoi Rog, Donetsk, and Kyiv) Report of a ...

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Rabbi Moskovitz noted, a business club of young men between the ages of
20 and 40 gather in a smaller dining room for lunch every Friday to learn
about business from successful older Jewish entrepreneurs.
Rabbi Moskovitz has developed a (Chabad) Jewish Community Board of
Trustees of some 50 individuals, each of whom contributes a minimum of
$1,000 monthly to local Chabad operations. Within this group of 50 people,
Rabbi Moskovitz noted, is an executive of four men (three younger men and
one older man) who are exceptionally active; this group, said Rabbi Moskovitz,
gives significantly more money, is much better informed, and recruits
new members for the Board. Members of the Executive respect each other,
Rabbi Moskovitz continued, and feel a strong responsibility toward the Jewish
community. They believe that the synagogue must be a home to every Jew.
The magnificence of the building itself attracts people, Rabbi Moskovitz
noted. In all, said Rabbi Moskovitz, he raises enough money locally to cover
all expenses for the community, except salaries and expenses for local
STARS classes (which are supported by outside donors) and salaries and
expenses for two Israeli teachers of Jewish subjects at the day school (who
are supported by the Israeli Ministry of Education).
In addition to the regular Board of Trustees, Rabbi Moskovitz continued, one
wealthy individual, Alexander Feldman, 58 distributes about $15,000 monthly of
his own money through the synagogue. Mr. Feldman personally receives
needy Jews at the synagogue who petition him for various types of support.
In addition to offering funds for food, medical care, and housing, Mr. Feldman
also pays lawyers to help individuals
resolve legal problems.
Alexander Feldman, right, controls the massive
Kharkiv wholesale and retail Barabashovo market,
as well as a number of other business
concerns.
Photo:
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/93039/#ixzz1SI
kygBS2. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
Another private sponsor, said Rabbi Moskovitz, distributes parcels of kosher
sausage, kosher wine, and other products to the homes of elderly Jews in the
city on their birthdays. Young people enrolled in the STARS program visit the
homes of recipients and write reports of their findings, thus providing the
synagogue with information about people who require their assistance.
58 Alexander Feldman, a native of Kharkiv, is the principal owner of Avec, a company with major interests
in property development, food processing, and transportation. He is the founder of the Ukrainian Jewish
Committee (modeled loosely after the American Jewish Committee) and also is a member of the Rada,
the Ukrainian parliament.