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Russia’s Jewish communities to organize self-defence courses

Rabbis, activists of youth organizations, Jewish schools' employees and kindergartens will be invited to undergo courses coordinated with Russia's and Israel's interior ministries
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, August 14 (Itar-Tass) - Russia’s Jewish communities consider it necessary to take additional security measures to protect Jewish national and cultural centers and plan to organize self-defense courses for members of religious organizations, the press service of the Russian Jewish Congress told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

The press service commented on a meeting between the Congress’s Executive Director, Benny Briskin, and Israeli Minister of Internal Security Yitzhak Aharonovitch, who arrived on a three-day visit to Moscow.

“Rabbis, activists of youth organizations, employees of Jewish schools and kindergartens will be invited to undergo shot-term courses coordinated with the interior ministries of Russia and Israel,” representatives of the Russian Jewish Congress said adding that self-defense courses would be conducted by Israeli instructors, while Russia’s law enforcers would tell how protect buildings in case of attacks and other emergencies.

The Russian Jewish Congress said the project would be implemented following a recent assassination attempt on Rabbi Ovadia Isakov in Dagestan, North Caucasus. “It is high time for serious actions to be taken to arrange security measures of the Jewish community,” the Jewish Congress said.