MONDAY APRIL 25, 2022
St. Petersburg from the Jewish Perspective: Life, History, Art
St. Petersburg – the city which was a capital of Russian Empire for 200 years is known for its unique beauty and rich cultural heritage. Museums, palaces, bridges, squares, classical and modern architecture can be found all over. The city of White Nights is visited by millions of travellers each year. It’s my privilege to show you the beauty of my city and much more; we will look at St. Petersburg through a Jewish lens. We will learn about the Jewish history and heritage of St. Petersburg and about the ‘maskilim’ – enlightened, educated Jews who led the community in the 19th century. We will explore the role of Jews in the Russian Revolutionary events of 1917 and discuss the position of the Soviet Jews. We will learn about some well-known ‘refusniks’ and witness the miraculous changes and rebirth of Jewish life in St. Petersburg after the fall of USSR. While taking you around the city through images, I will also share with you my own family’s story to illustrate the history and present-day life of our Jewish community. If you have never been to St. Petersburg, this tour will give you a good taste of what the city is. If you have already visited St. Petersburg, this tour will show you the city and its Jewish Heritage in a new and unusual way.

TUESDAY APRIL 26, 2022
Jewish Moscow: A Century and a Half of Upheaval and Resurgence
Moscow is home to the largest Jewish community in Russia, numbering some 250,000 people. Today Jewish life here flourishes and the community is known for its rich religious and cultural life. But it was not the same in the past. Our talk will cover the period of about 140-150 years, from the time when Jews were first allowed to settle in Moscow to the present days and we will pay a visit to all the Jewish highlights of the city: old and new synagogues, the Jewish Community Center, the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center, the Holocaust Memorial Synagogue, and much more.

WEDNESDAY APRIL 27, 2022
Art of Jewish Interest in the Hermitage Museum
Founded in 1764, the Hermitage Museum is the second-largest art museum in the world and among the most visited. Join us as we traverse its ornate galleries for a tour highlighting art works of Jewish interest from its renowned collection. Find out what Hebrew inscriptions on Italian paintings can tell us about Jewish community life, see the stories of Jewish history represented by the greatest artists, and understand how political situations are reflected in art. 

Evgenia Kempinski is a Russian Jew born and raised in St. Petersburg. Her family was originally from the Pale of Settlement – Poland, Ukraine and Belorussia – and endured the suppression of Judaism in the Soviet Union then the rebirth of Jewish culture and religious life in today’s St. Petersburg. She has been an official St. Petersburg tour guide for over 15 years and is the founder and owner of St.Petersburg Jewish Tours – a company offering Jewish travelers a unique experience of showcasing the best of Russia from a Jewish point of view. She currently lives in Haifa, Israel, still keeping close connections with St. Petersburg and its Jewish community.

There is no fee, but please RSVP for planning purposes. This event is held virtually on Zoom. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the event. For more information, contact Program Director Ilene Tatro at itatro@cbisd.org.

CSP Partners: Beth Israel (San Diego, CA), Brotherhood Synagogue (Gramercy Park, NYC), Congregation Beth Shalom (Seattle, WA), Congregation B’nai Tzedek (Fountain Valley, CA), Congregation B’nai Israel (Tustin, CA), Jewish Collaborative of Orange County, CA, Shomrei Torah Synagogue (San Fernando Valley, CA), Temple Bat Yahm (Newport Beach, CA), Temple Beth El of South Orange County (Aliso Viejo, CA), Temple Beth Emet (Anaheim, CA), Temple Beth Ohr (La Mirada, CA), Temple Beth Tikvah (Fullerton, CA), Temple Beth Shalom (Needham, MA), Temple Beth Sholom (Santa Ana, CA), Temple Emanuel (Newton, MA), Town & Village Synagogue (NYC, NY), University Synagogue (Irvine, CA), Valley Beth Shalom (Encino, CA) & Walnut Street Synagogue (Chelsea, MA)