The FRS Twinning Project started in April 2008. At that time we were matched with Emuna in Vitebsk in the North East of Belarus. This is a small Jewish community in the North East of the country – very close to the Russian Border. With the assistance of the World Union of Progressive Judaism in Minsk – we learned that many of the Jewish people there live in very poor conditions, they have very little and for many who have lived under the Communist regime and in some cases survived the Holocaust years – they have lost touch with their Judaism and indeed are afraid to come back to it. We at FRS came to realise very quickly that a lot of support was and is needed to help rebuild Judaism in this part of the world – financially, spiritually and tangibly.

In our first year members of FRS have tirelessly collected, packed and sent clothes, toys, household items and stationery on World Jewish Relief lorries and we are continuing to do so. It is an invaluable resource to these people who simply cannot afford the every day basic items and we know that it is making an enormous difference.

FRS have held fundraisers in the form of a Bingo Evening, an evening of Music and Culture with Blinis, Bubbly and Vodka and are now looking forward to a Family Quiz Tea and a Film Screening at the Phoenix Cinema. Great fun events – where we as a Community come together to enjoy ourselves and support our Twin at the same time.

In April of this year, 2009, 10 members of FRS and Rabbi Miriam Berger went on an emotional trip to visit our newly Twinned partner. We found ourselves in a very different country to the one we are used to. One that still lives under the watchful eye of the KGB and anti-semitism. Where Jewish people have no access to kosher food or Judaica, and there are no active synagogue buildings. Most of the Synagogues were ravaged and destroyed in the Second World War. Those that survived are either being used as sports halls or public buildings, or are sitting empty, state owned and are crumbling and neglected.

We found Emuna using the basement of a grey and ugly factory owned building as their place of worship – and their Community Centre. From the outside it was grim and sad, but inside we found a hub of activity. A space far too small to accommodate the whole community at any one time, but nevertheless they were doing their best to make it a place where people could come and feel a sense of their Judaism.

What we discovered during our visit – is that as many of the adults had no Jewish upbringing – since it was not allowed under Communism and many afraid of reprisals after the Holocaust. However, in the last fifteen years, slowly things have been changing, and the children have started to be taught about the Jewish Festivals through education programmes now being put into place and they are simply lapping it up. As a result – through their hunger to learn more about their heritage, their parents are learning again how to be Jewish.

We at FRS have a very important role to play as a Twinned Community. With the current Global Financial crisis much of the financial assistance from the World Union that Emuna relied so heavily on to exist as a community has been slashed and so they are looking to us for support. In July, thanks to all the support of the Twinning Fundraisers and FRS members, FRS were able to make a sizeable financial donation to Emuna – which will enable them to continue with their Community activies for the moment. FRS have also taken steps to helping Emuna strive to work towards getting some degree of financial independence where they won’t have to rely wholly on donations from FRS and the World Union. This is the start of a long and difficult process but one we feel is so important for these struggling Communities.

For the moment – we at FRS have a vital role to play as a twinned partner. We need to continue to fund raise, to collect and send clothes, toys, stationery and household items and to support them in every way we can. They are an extension of our FRS Community.

If you would like to make any donations of the above items, please drop them into the Synagogue. To make a financial donation, to find out more about the Fundraisers or to find out how you get involved with the Twinning Project, please contact Debra Brunner via the Synagogue Office on 020 8446 3244.

Click here for more details of Twinning events and fundraising.