The Russian Empire, the capital of which St-Petersburg officially became in 1712, inherited from Moscow Russia the prohibition for Jews to enter the country. Nevertheless Peter I’s associates of Jewish origin appear in the city even in the very first days of existence of the new capital. Antoine Devier, a descendant of Portuguese christened Jews, invited by Peter I from Holland, was the first General Polizeimeister (chief of St. Petersburg police). Another christened Jew, Vice-Chancellor of the Russian Empire Peter P. Shafirov, was a top person in Russia’s foreign policy. We could also mention a number of other high-ranked officials. JP
But of course their history does not have direct connection to the history of the city’s Jewish community formation. The Community really appeared when Russia as a result of its foreign policy turned into, so to say, “a Jewish place”.

This happened due to active reign of Catherine II (1762 - 1796). In that period the territory of Russia was significantly enlarged, and as the result of annexation of Crimea (1783), Lithuania, Poland and Volyn (1793-1795) together with new territories Russia acquired also a new type of population – the Jews. So by the end of XVIII century a significant number of East-European Ashkenazi Jews as well as Karaims and mountain Jews had become residents of the Russian Empire.

After annexation by Russia of the new territories the Jews were assigned the right to reside in the same places. However, they were forbidden to enter the “inner gubernias (regions)”. There existed the so-called Pale of Settlement. But the new subjects started to come to the capital on business. To manage Russian Jews a special commission was organized. It involved deputies from Jewish associations, who had “settled for good” in the new capital. Thus by the 1780-ies a small but constant Jewish community appears in St.-Petersburg. It was made up of Jewish deputies, headed by merchants from Byelorussia Abram Peretz and Nota Notkin. Their family members and servants came together with them. Gatherings of this small community took place in the house where Peretz was residing, that is on the corner of Nevsky avenue and Bolshaya Morskaya Street.

At the end of ХVIII century St.-Petersburg became the place of temporary residence of the founder of the new trend in Judaism – Chabad. Shneur-Zalman Borukhovich (the Alter Rebe) was accused of high treason by his religious opponents and brought to Peter-and-Paul Fortress. The Rebe managed to prove his innocence and soon he was released. 2 years later he was sued for the second time and called to St.-Petersburg. Finally his innocence was pronounced in 1801.

Grand Choral Synagogue

Here are a complex of a Small and Grand synagogues. The building of the Grand Choral Synagogue was constructed in 1893 to the design of L.I.Bakhman and I.I.Shasposhnikov. Six years earlier the Small Synagogue had been built on the same site.Picture1
During the First World War:
The 100-bed hospital for the wounded of all confessions was organised by the Jewish community of St. Petersburg on the premises of the synagogue. The building of the Yeshiva near the Great Choral Synagogue had also served as a medical facility for many years.
Today the Big Choral Synagogue, which is over 100 year old, is becoming once again a cultural center for the Saint-Petersburg Jews. The synagogue provides an opportunity to keep Jewish traditions and rituals (brith-milah, chupah, etc.). The Shabbath and holiday ceremonies are led by one of the best cantors of Europe, Barukh Finkelstein with synagogue chorus. The holidays are held in a festive and merry atmosphere. Чертёж синагоги.1883 г.
The synagogue runs two kindergartens, two Jewish schools in different districts of the city, two boarding schools for girls and for boys, overall attended by about 500 children. Several dozens of Jewish young men receive religious education in the yeshiva “Tomchei Tmimim”.
The synagogue charity center attends to the needs of over 1000 sick and elderly people. Its clients are provided with food gifts and clothing, as well as free medical and psychological help. Every day 2 charity canteens (soup kitchens) provide free meals for more than 300 people.

The Synagogue dating service has helped to create dozens of Jewish families.

The Matzo bakery provides yearly up to 40 tons of high-quality matzo for Jews of St. Petersburg, its suburbs and a number of other places.

The synagogue also runs the shop “Kosher”, which sells Jewish souvenirs, Jewish religious items, books and kosher food. Kosher restaurant Lechaim has also been launched within the synagogue just recently. The newly-opened mikvah is available.

Beit Habad

Beit Habad centre. was opened in the middle of the 19th century. It united Yeshiva “Tomhey Temimim Lubavich”, a women’s club, women’s courses “Beit-Hana” and small yeshiva (“Yeshiva ktana”) for boys

Canteen and mikvah

A building of popular canteen and mikvah located on Griboedov canal, 140 . The Jewish charity canteen had exited since 1879 and was established to help poor and indigent people. Recently the building has returned to St.Petersburg Jewish religious community.Griboedov canal
The Mikvah is the cornerstone of a vibrant Jewish home. It is within the natural waters of the Mikvah that a woman immerses herself monthly, from marriage till menopause, so that a husband and wife can live a full life of intimacy together. Indeed, it is hard to picture a comprehensive family life without the Mikvah playing a vital part. One of the laws dictates that we have to create a holding tank [Otzar] of 190 gallons of natural water; not pumped by a human like tap water but rather rainwater that flows alone to the Mikvah: not brought by a human but rather “alone” like a large pipe from the roof; and not with any kli/vessel like a pail; and is totally stationary with absolutely no recognizable “leaks” that allow the water to flow outwards.

Teatralnaya square,2

The heyday of Jewish press in Russian was connected with the name of A.Ye. Landau. Since 1871 he published in St.-Petersburg 10 issues of the historical and literary collection «Jewish Library», which was very popular among educated Jews all over Russia. In 1881 – 1899 Landau published a monthly Russian-language magazine “Voskhod” (“Sunrise”). This magazine was the most prominent (and after 1884 – the only) Russian-language Jewish periodical in Russia. From 1882 to 1897 there was a weekly supplement to this magazine, “Nedelnaya khronika Voskhoda” (Sunrise Weekly Chronicle”) Teatralnaya square,2

A publishing House“Voshod”. The founder of this centre was Adolf Landau. From 1880 up to 1899 it was the biggest in Russia Jewish publishing house, issuing collections of articles, a magazine under the same name and annual supplement to it. The main idea of the literary pieces was that of equality of rights for Jewish people in Russia.

Jewish Community Centre of St.Petersburg

Jewish Community Centre of St.Petersburg located on Rubinshteina street, 3. The centre was established in 1994. There’s a library with a reading room, club of books lovers, lecturing bureau and so on. In houses also an Editional office of the newspaper “Ami” (“My People”).

Nekrasova street, 10

The building was constructed in 1912-1913 of the 20th century. At the close of the 20th century there was a Jewish House of Political Education named after J.M.Sverdlov. The communist authorities aiming at distributing their influence among “Jewish working masses” created some Jewish working clubs. Those clubs were extremely politicized

The Jewish University of baron D.G.Guenzburg

The Jewish University of baron D.G.Guenzburg. It was the first educational establishment in Russia where Judaica was thought using both the academic and traditional Jewish methods. Since its foundation in 1907 up to the death of Guenzburg in 1910 the classes were held in this building.Teatralnaya square,2

ORT

The society for handicrafts and agriculture labour among Jews in Russian – ORT
ORT was founded in St.Petersburg in 1880 in order to create a system of Jewish vocational education, to help Jewish tradesman in modernizing their work shops. The activity of ORT was approved by all the Russian Jews. In the beginning of the 20th century this activity became international. During the first 8 years the main office of ORT was situated in this house. World ORT is one of the largest non-governmental education and training organizations in the world, running a network of programs, training centres and schools.
ORT currently operates secondary and industrial schools, technical institutes, junior colleges, teacher training institutes, adult education and business programs, and international development projects in 60 countries. The origins of what later became World ORT can be found by examining the conditions for the Jewish population of Russia at the end of the 18th century.