AROUND THE JEWISH WORLD Russian Jews flock to events celebrating Israel’s 50th birthday

MOSCOW, June 9 (JTA) — Isaak Shpiz has never been to Israel, but the Jewish state has still been an important part of his life. “I remember that my father told me it was a historic day when Israel proclaimed its independence,” says the 66-year old retired engineer. “Since then, what’s going on in Israel has always been significant to me.” During the Six-Day War in 1967, Shpiz said, his “heart ached when I thought that Israel wouldn’t survive.” For most of his life, Shpiz says he has kept his feelings about the Jewish state to himself. “I wouldn’t tell anyone except for my family — and God forbid at work — how I felt about our state.” It is different for Shpiz’s granddaughter Sonya. For her, a student at one of Moscow’s Jewish day schools, Israel is a part of daily life. Her school curriculum includes such subjects as Israeli history and geography. Israel is also the country where she spent a few weeks with her friends last summer and the place “where I will probably live after I finish school,” says the 13-year-old. Both generations joined some 6,000 Muscovite Jews at a central Moscow park to celebrate Israel’s 50th anniversary. The daylong event in Moscow, just one of several jubilee celebrations for Israel that have been held throughout Russia in the past few months, was organized by the Russian office of the Jewish Agency for Israel. It offered a variety of events: entertainment for children; a lottery for a free 10-day trip to Israel; and dancing, singing and fashion shows on three different stages in Moscow’s Hermitage park. Those who wanted a more quiet way of spending the day could enjoy a photo exhibition about the history of the Jewish state in a secluded corner of the park as well as non-stop showings of documentaries about Israel. On a more practical side, those interested in moving to Israel could find out about job opportunities there by talking with representatives from Jerusalem, Beersheba and Haifa. And Israeli and Russian music pulsated at a late-night disco at the park — which is located directly across the street from the once-feared Moscow police headquarters. The healthy turnout for the event demonstrates the pride that many Muscovite Jews feel for Israel. Shpiz, for example, refers to the Jewish state as “our state.” Avraham Burg, chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel — who flew to Moscow to address the gathering — said that just a few years ago most people would reluctantly admit they were Jewish. “Now, everybody’s saying, ‘I’m Jewish and I’m proud of it,’ ” he said. Alla Levy, chairwoman of the Jewish Agency in Russia, noted that the scale of the commemorative events in some cities had exceeded the Jewish Agency’s expectations. She said that many of those who took part in the celebrations had never previously participated in anything Jewish. Indeed, Levy said that many Russian Jews appeared to be more enthusiastic about the Jewish state’s jubilee than Israelis themselves.