On June 22, 2011 in the west Siberian city of Tomsk, a ceremony for welcoming a Torah scroll into the Tomsk synagogue took place for the first time in 80 years.
The scroll was presented to the Tomsk Choral Synagogue by Maxim Gennadievich and Gennady Natanovich Barsky in memory of Nathan Mikhailovich and Mikhail Abramovich Barsky. The final letters were written at the Pushkin Tomsk Regional Library n the presence of the entire community. Then, as is customary, the new Torah scroll was paraded through the streets under a chupah. The procession marched from the library to the synagogue through the main streets of the city, involving more than a hundred people.
The synagogue’s sanctuary was filled with the lively sounds of the Hakafot-dancing with the new Torah scroll followed by the evening prayer.
Upon completion of the evening prayers, another milestone for the community took place: the opening of the mikvah. The community has been waiting for this day for many years.
The Jewish community of Tomsk – a member of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia – sincerely thanks the Barsky family for their assistance and support in observing the holy commandments of the Torah!