Official inauguration of the mikvah on May 16, 2024

The mikvah was set up in the basement of the synagogue building, which was completed in 2018. The women’s mikvah was completed first, followed by the part for men and objects.

The event was attended by delegates from all over Russia, the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Mr. Berl Lazar, members of the community and, of course, the honored sponsors.
The main sponsor, Vladimir Leonidovich Katzman, who had paid for the entire construction of the men’s mikveh (and before that the construction of the whole synagogue building), received a dollar bill, that came originally from the hand of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, presented in the month of the sponsor’s birth. Vladimir Leonidovich was touched by this gift and promised to continue working for the good of the synagogue and the entire community.

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March 6, 2024, the mikvah for women was completed in the basement of the rebuilt Königsberg synagogue and was ceremoniously inaugurated! Since January 20, 2020, Rabbi Deitch was able to take a first look at the construction site of the mikvah. But there were still many hurdles to overcome before the inauguration. At the end of February 2024, the mikvah was inspected and declared kosher. First, the mikvah for women was completed. There is a great joy that, after more than 80 years, there is once again such a facility for Jewish life in the city.

Top left: Detail from a building application for a Mikwe in Königsberg 1898,
top right construction drawing of the current Mikwe

This synagogue was re-inaugurated in Kaliningrad in November 2018; however, it used to be and is today one of the most beautiful temples in Europe. The original synagogue built in 1896 in Königsberg, was damaged on the pogrom night in 1938, and then completely eroded.

⇒ What exactly is a mikvah? Link to Wikipedia >>