The Day of Salvation and Liberation - 2016

On June 2 and 3, 2016, Moscow hosted the celebration of the 26th Iyar, the Day of Salvation and Liberation. The Day of Salvation and Liberation was celebrated in more than 40 cities around the world. On June 2, in Moscow, the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center hosted a meeting with war veterans and former prisoners of ghettos and concentration camps, organized by the Charitable Foundation of Mountain Jews STMEGI. The Chief Rabbi of Russia (FEOR) Rabbi Berl Lazar emphasized in his speech that Victory Day is “without a doubt a Jewish holiday.” “Thanks to the Victory Day, our people are alive,” he said. In the evening, the celebration of the Day of Salvation and Liberation continued in the Moscow Choral Synagogue. Three candles were lit in the large hall of the Moscow Choral Synagogue as a symbol of the Day of Salvation and Liberation. The first candle was lit in honor of the Almighty in gratitude for the Victory, the second – in memory of the victims of the war, and the third – in honor of all the soldiers who fought against Nazism.

And on the morning of June 3, a wreath-laying ceremony was held in Moscow at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin wall. Israel did not remain aside during the celebrations – on June 2 in Jerusalem, at the Western Wall, rabbis and representatives of the Jewish communities read memorial prayers for the souls of all Jewish soldiers who gave their lives for the victory over fascism. On June 3, a rally and a solemn procession "Immortal Regiment" took place in Jerusalem in honor of a new date in the Jewish calendar.