Last Friday, April 10th, 74 members of RuJuLA (L.A.’s Russian-speaking Jewish young adult network) gathered for the second time at Maxim Restaurant for a Soviet Exodus Passover Seder. A celebration of freedom, this special evening brought the Passover story to life for young professionals in their 20s and 30s, some of whom had never before attended a traditional Passover seder.
Closed off to the public and open exclusively for the seder, Maxim Restaurant was the perfect setting for this uniquely Russian event. Using a specially designed RuJuLA Haggadah that incorporated Soviet history with the Exodus from Egypt, our Federation’s Russian Jewish Community Assistant Director, Sasha Zlobina, led the seder alongside the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Shlicha (Emissary) for the Russian Speaking Jewish Community to the West, Eden Kanovsky. Others at the table were encouraged to read passages as well. Among those in attendance were RuJuLA Founder and Chair Alex Grager, RuJuLA Steering Committee Members Dina Brevdo, Alexandra Bronstein and Eric Fihman, and Chair of Limmud FSU West Coast Sasha Shteyn.
In addition to a festive Russian meal accompanied by the requisite four glasses of wine, live music enhanced this already spirited celebration of freedom. It was a wonderful way for participants to learn more about the holiday while getting to know other young Russian Jews in L.A. who understand their cultural background.
Events like the Soviet Exodus Passover Seder are just one way RuJuLA is transforming the Russian Jewish young adult community.
Want to learn more about RuJuLA? Join us for one of our upcoming events:
- Victory Day Celebration – Saturday, May 9, 2015 – 11:00 AM at Plummer Park (W. Hollywood)
On May 9th we will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of Victory Day. As our WWII veterans age, we have fewer and fewer opportunities to say thank you for their labor and sacrifice and the part they played in winning the war. Let’s come together as a community and thank every veteran personally for their heroism and bravery—bring your family and friends!
- RuJuLA Newcomers Brunch – Sunday, June 7th, 2015 (Location TBD)
- Stateless Documentary Screening – June 2015 (Date and Location TBD)
For more information about these events or RuJuLA, contact (323) 761-8243 or RuJuLA@JewishLA.org.
RuJuLA is grateful to our partners: Genesis Philanthropy Group, Jewish Agency for Israel and Jewish Federation Los Angeles.
