The second part of the Community Festival of the Jewish Book in Northern Kazakhstan was held in the middle of September in Timiryazevo village. It is the remotest settlement, five hours journey from Petropavlovsk. Six Jewish families living there were looking forward to the OFEK. Local administration also took part in the organization, it provided a premise, apparatus, and rang round the inhabitants of the village and the region.

  This year the OFEK took place in a local school. Members of the community decorated the school hall with Jewish symbols. Wide exposition of books on Jewish themes was placed on tables and easels. There also were works of children who study at "Fine Arts" and "Arts and Crafts" clubs of the Community center.

  The Festival started with a video film about Abraham, the forefather of the Jewish people. Then the librarian Igor Zhigarlovsky introduced the guests to the books of Jewish authors presented in the exhibition. The visitors were looking over exhibits and writing down the names of authors and titles of books that rose their interest. Then there was a quiz on Jewish Tradition. The participants demonstrated unusual knowledge and vivid interest, and were awarded prizes.

  At the end of the celebration "Shalom" group sang songs in Hebrew and Yiddish. They were loudly cheered. The Jewish Diaspora, OFEK participants and active members of the community celebrated Shabbat together. Taking into consideration the remoteness of the region, it was a very important task to associate the Jews living there with the native traditions of their ancestors.

  We are glad that we managed to introduce the inhabitants of Timiryazevo to the real spiritual world of the OFEK, tell them about Jewish history, rise their interest to the Jewish way of life and Yiddishkait. We look forward to new meetings and keeping in touch with the people.

Svetlana Makarovskaya