On July 4th, the photo exhibition “Jews in Russia: Rebirth of Traditions,” organized by the Jewish National Foundation, a Russian foundation for the restoration of traditions, with the support of the EAJC PR Department took place in the Moscow Photography Center.

The exhibition was the preliminary result of a homonymous photo competition, which had begun in December 2011 and was timed to the 110th anniversary of the founding of the Jewish National Foundation. 57 photographers from 45 Russian cities and towns – from Birobijan to Kaliningrad – participated in the exhibition. Over 800 works were sent in for judgement, and the 80 which corresponded most to the theme and conditions of the competitions became the foundation for the Photography Center exhibition.

The works were presented to members of the jury, headed by playwright Alexander Gelman. The results of the competition are to be announced soon.

Among those who spoke at the opening of the exhibition were: Director of the Moscow Photography Center Valeriy Nikiforov, Director of the Russian Department of the Jewish National Foundation Rafael Fainberg, Head of the Moscow Duma Culture Committee, People's Artists of Russia Evgeniy Gerasimov, head of the jury Alexander Gelman, Head Rabbi of Russia, Deputy Chairman of the EAJC Rabbi Council Adolph Shaevich, photograper-artists Yuri Krivonosov and Alexander Tyagny-Ryadno, The gathering was also addressed by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Israel to Russia Dorit Golender.

EAJC PR Department Head Roman Spector said the following in his address at the opening exhibition: “This is the first time that a large-scale exhibition reflecting the development and diversity of the restoration of Jewish national life has taken place, through the efforts of the Jewish National Foundation and the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress. It is my hope that this substantial exhibition with a positive mood will be interesting both to Jews of Moscow, especially to young Jews, and to its non-Jewish residents.”