1. All American Association of Invalids & Veterans WWII (President Semen Komissar)

AAAIV was incorporated in 1977. This organization has chapters in 53 cities of USA. The mission is to provide moral support to its constituency, to ease integration into American life, and to commemorate the historical events of WWII. The organization conducts all kind of events and celebrations of Victory Day over Nazi Germany, Jewish and American holidays, trips and tours, and provides referrals to the Day Care facilities for the elderly.

2. American Ark (President Boris Tenzer)

American Ark has been founded in 2002. The mission is to help children, young adults and families from the former Soviet Union to integrate into American way of life through the understanding of American culture on one side and loving their own roots and heritage on the other. The organization offers classes to write scripts about their families, friends, animals, school, and the loved ones where they can express themselves and their thoughts and feelings. The second part of the class is actual making movies according to their script.

3. American Association of Jews from the FSU - NY Chapter (AAJFSU) (President Inna Arolovich)

AAJFSU was created in 1989, and its New York chapter was incorporated in 1998. AAJFSU advocates on the most vulnerable issues: social safety net for the poor elderly refugees and asylums and citizenship; medical insurance for immigrants and parolees; affordable and subsidized housing; citizenship and civic participation; human rights. AAJFSU meets with the political leaders, organize petition signings, and participates in activities of the New York Immigration Coalition and Jewish organizations nationwide. AAJFSU is encouraging Russian-speaking Jews to be actively involved in social and political life by becoming American citizens, register to vote and vote.

4. American Association of Invalids & Veterans of WWII from the FSU (President Leonid Rozenberg)

Association was formed in 1995. The mission is to preserve memory of the WWII and the heroism of the soldiers and officers from the RSU; to advocate on behalf of the veterans, and to provide emotional support to its members. Association organizes commemorating events, celebration of holidays; publishes memoirs and magazine “Veteran”. Also they provide the neediest veterans with food packages.

5. American Brotherhood for Russian Disabled (ABRUD) (President Mikhail Kremerov)

ABRUD has been incorporated in 1996 and has now approximately 2,000 members. The mission is to provide help to the Russian-speaking disabled people to integrate into American life, to ease the problems that disabled people face, to educate their members on the opportunities available in USA. ABRUD provides computer and ESL classes; organizes trips. ABRUD works in close collaboration with medical offices and VESID. ABRUD has its own newspaper “News of ABRUD” and publishes special informative brochures. 

6. The Archive for Jewish Immigrant Culture (President Marina Temkina)

The Archive was founded in 1995. The mission is to compile a personal history of Jewish emigration from the former Soviet Union, and to help émigrés to gain a better understanding of their identity as Jews. The Archive organizes meetings and conferences, gathered information and personal history of émigrés from the FSU.

7. Association of Engineers and Scientists (President Moshe Gluzman)

AES has been established in 1979 to help Russian-speaking professionals in integration into American job market and involvement into Jewish life through professional and social contacts.

8. Beth HaKnesseth Ohr HaMizrach (President Erik Evdayev)

The mission is integration into American and larger Jewish community at the same time preserving the heritage of Mountain Jews. Beth HaKnesseth has a Cultural Center that is both a major communal institution and an advocate on the behalf of the community that provides a wide range of social, cultural, educational, and psychological support services to individuals and families. Center organizes over 100 children and about 230 adults.

9. Bukharian Jewish Center of Briarwood (President Rabbi Avrekh Kaziev)

The Center exists since 1993. Synagogue serves 100 people regularly and is full for the High Holy Days. The mission is to provide religious, spiritual and communal services to its constituency. Synagogue has after school program (about 30 children attend), distributes food packages, and has ESL classes for adults (30 people attend).

10. Bukharian Jewish Congress of the USA and Canada (President Boris Kandov)

The Congress was established in 1998 and serves as umbrella for forty-nine organizations. The mission is to integrate Bukharian Jewish community into American society and Jewish community while preserving Bukharian traditions, culture and heritage. The umbrella comprises of the Jewish Centers and synagogues, newspapers and magazines, 2 theaters and yeshivas, funeral home and Museum of Bukharian Jews heritage, foundations, music and dance groups, and the grass-root organizations.

11. Chabad Lubavitch of Kensington (President Rabbi Moshe C. Levin)

Chabad Lubavitch of Kensington was incorporated in 1993. The mission is to promote Jewish knowledge and observance among Russian-speaking émigrés. This organization provides religious services that attended daily by 20 people, on Saturday about 130 people, and on Holy Days the synagogue is full to its capacity of 250 people. Chabad Lubavitch conducts classes on Jewish traditions and philosophy, offers after school programs, organizes celebration of Jewish holidays and works in collaboration with Met Council on food package distribution.

12. Chabad of Rego Park / Corona Inc. (President Rabbi Eli Blokh)

Chabad Lubavitch of Rego Park was incorporated in 1998. The synagogue is a home for 35 people who come to pray every day. Much more attend at the time of High Holidays. The mission is to foster a sense of identity and pride among the Jewish Russian Community of Queens. Participation varies: Hebrew School program has a weekly attendance of over 50 children; Shabbat Family Dinner get-together averaged 100 people; holiday programs average 100-150 people; weekly Services attendance of 30-40 people. The major programs are: 1) Bi-monthly, Bi-lingual magazine, The Fifth Dimension. Total monthly circulation is 6,000, with 1,200 directly mailed in Queens, free of charge. 2) Chabad Hebrew School. 3) Monthly get-together geared at young Jewish Russian families.

13. Congregation Anshei Zedek of Bensonhurst (President Alexander Golubchik)

This orthodox synagogue exists for about 90 years. The mission is to help Jews from the FSU to be more Jewish in religious and cultural sense. Synagogue offers classes for adults to learn Hebrew and to study Cabbala. Over 20 people attend each program. In addition, synagogue offers classes for children to learn about Jewish holidays, traditions, music and dances with the Israeli-Russian teacher. The Rabbi comes on Shabbat and holidays and prays with the group of 50 people. Synagogue is full on Yom Kippur and other major Jewish holidays.

14. Congregation Meor Hachaim of Luna Park (President Semen Roytblat)

Congregation Meor Hachaim is an orthodox synagogue founded in 2003. Majority of congregation are Holocaust survivors from the FSU. The mission is to help Russian-speaking Jews who survived Holocaust to feel at home in synagogue, to educate them Jewishly and feel part of the larger Jewish community. On weekends, about 80 people come to pray and have a dinner; about 300 senior citizens attend Jewish Holidays celebrations. Rabbi is teaching Torah and Jewish traditions to 25 people and is helping needy people with the food packages.

15. Congregation Shaarei Shamayim (President Natalya Shiryayeva)

Shaarei Shamayim is a Russian-speaking Jewish Reform Congregation that was incorporated in 1996. This congregation serves 50 families, approximately 150-170 people. Majority of the congregation are elderly and poor people looking for comfort and Jewish spiritual support. The mission is to educate Russian-speaking Jews about Jewish religion, culture and traditions, and to provide social climate to establish friendship and psychological comfort. This congregation provides services once a week. At the homes of their parishioners, the spiritual leader conducts classes on easy Hebrew, theory and practice of Judaism, celebration of all major Jewish holidays.

16. Congregation Tyfers Israel (President Rabbi Amnun Khaimov)

Since 1999, Congregation Tyfers Israel became a spiritual and community center for over 80 Bukharian Jewish families that live in this area. The mission is to serve as a religious, cultural and educational center for Bukharian Jews. Placed in a historical building, congregation has severe problems with neighbors who are trying to get them out from this neighborhood. Now local police cooperates, and some Jewish philanthropist made a private donation for their safety.

17. The Educational Center for Russian Jewry (President Nahum Kaziev)

This Center was established in 1991 to help Russian-speaking Jews to integrate into American society and Jewish community. It’s a religious Orthodox organization that on top of it’s educational, cultural and social services provide religious services for its constituency by renting the space for Sabbath. It has the following programs: ESL and Civics including preparation for the citizenship exam (240 participants attend); Youth program (60 children attend); Jewish education; Hebrew classes; Weekly Lectures; Food Distribution of packages.

18. Elite High School(Rabbi Emmanuel Yagudkin)

This school is under orthodox auspices; has 45 boys (mostly Russian-speaking). The mission is to attract Russian-speaking Jewish boys to Judaism, provide positive Jewish experience and interest toward Torah and Jewish studies.

19. EZRA Olami (USA) (President David Roitman)

EZRA Olami is the world-wide organization that represents Zionist youth movement. The mission is to fight assimilation of the Russian-speaking Jewish youth, to connect them to Jewish traditions and Israel. The main activities include Birthright trips to Israel (over 2,000 so far), IsraeLunch project with educational content, many educational classes and events.

20. First Chernomorets USA (President Ilya Peysakhov)

Being established in 1998, First Chernomorets is the after school program. The mission is to attract the Russian-speaking émigré children to sport activities, to take them off the street, to lead a healthy lifestyle. They have about 200 students that are being trained to play soccer and successfully participate in city and state competitions.

21. The International Émigré Association of Arts & Sciences (IEAAS) (President Anatoliy Rokhvarger)

IEAAS was dedicated in 1993 by high qualified specialists from f. USSR. Their achievements include:  1) Created, US Patented and proven a set of cost-effective thermo-chemical technologies that industrial application shall on ~ 35% reduce both a use of fossil fuel for energy generation and greenhouse gas-pollution; 2) Received a number of the U.S. patents, wrote and published a few technical and Jewish-culture-related books, made > 100 presentations and publications in other scientific and engineering areas, and improved a number of American Standards in mechanical engineering field; 3) The Publishing House “MIR Collection” has issued ~ 90 books of novels, stories, and reminiscences of the Russian-speaking people; 4) The Teachers’ Training Program has assisted ~ 20 people with their teacher placement into NY public schools; 5) Provided a few art meetings, concerts, and exhibitions; and 6) Provided statistically correct analysis of the medical survey of the whole Russian-speaking community of New York City and made recommendations for prophylactic and diminution of common and specific health problems.   

22. Jewish Channel Institute (JCI) (President Moshe Gluzman)

JCI was created in 2000 to provide formal and informal Jewish education for the Russian-speaking Jews. JCI has an agreement with Israel Open University to provide distant courses in Jewish history, religion, Hebrew, and philosophy. JCI does the outreach to find students, helps students to get scholarship, etc. Now they are trying to implement the unique SMS cell phone local net system for non-for-profit organizations.

23. Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island (Executive Director- Rabbi Moshe Wiener)         

JCCGCI has been established in 1973 to provide social services to the low-income residents of southern Brooklyn and to foster neighborhood stabilization. The current mission dedicates their resources to these goals and to the provision of supportive services designed at improving the quality of life of the frail elderly, vocationally disadvantaged poor, underprivileged immigrants and educationally at-risk youth and to provide technical assistance to enhance the programmatic, administrative and fiscal capacity of other not-for-profit organizations. Senior Citizen programs serve

24. Jewish Community of Starrett City (President Malka Budilovskaya)

Jewish Community of Starrett City was organized in 1995. The mission is to help its members to become active members of the American Jewish community, to serve as support network for a community of over 2,000 senior citizens - immigrants from the FSU. There are about 700 paid members who are volunteering for their community. This organization organizes program to help the senior citizens to naturalize; helps people in desperate situations, visits people in hospitals, and congratulates on their birthdays. Also, they organize Jewish holiday’s celebrations and commemoration events.

25. Jewish Immigrants Sport Association of America (President Yefim Buberman)

JISA was formed in 1998. The mission is to provide children from low-income émigré families with access to high quality after school sports programs in order to take children away from the street, thus, diverting émigré youth from drug and alcohol abuse. JISA offers classes in judo, Greek-Roman wrestling, self-defense wrestling, gymnastics, shaping and aerobics, chess, as well as Hebrew classes for beginners.

26. Jewish Union of Russian Immigrants (JURI) (President Philip Gorbulsky)

JURI was establishes in 1978. It is located in synagogue that has over 200 Russian-speaking members. The mission is to raise awareness in Russian-speaking Jews of their cultural and religious heritage, and foster Jewish identity. JURI introduces fundamentals of Jewish history, culture and traditions. About 80 participants attend their classes. JURI has women ensemble “Soul Strings” that organizes theatrical performances 3-4 times a year.

27. Lefrak City Jewish Center (President Robert Mavashev)

This organization, established in 1995, serves as a spiritual and community center for nearly 3,000 Bukharian Jews. The mission is to facilitate successful resettlement and to reduce social isolation for the Bukharian Jews to speed the process of integration into American life and Jewish community. The Jewish Center provides a wide range of services together with JBFCS from finding affordable housing, securing employment, selecting schools for children, to implementing social, educational, recreational, cultural and spiritual support programs. The Center collaborates with MetCouncil on Food Distribution Program (400 families receive food packages once a week), and Jackson Heights Kehilla on Citizenship Program.

28. Metropolitan Russian-American Parent Association (MRAPA) (President Vladimir Epshtein)

MRAPA was created in 1995. The mission is 1) to assist émigré children and parents in adjusting to the American public education environment and to encourage parents to be active in their local PTA and 2) to advocate on behalf of Russian-speaking children with disabilities and to help their families to learn the system of special education and support. MRAPA, working with Maidstone Foundation, started after-school program “The Way to Life”: conducts crafts classes, involves children in performances, organizes trips and has a strong Jewish educational component in their programming.

29. New York Association of Holocaust Survivors (President Pavel Vishnevetsky)

The Association was incorporated in 2005 as an independent association that parted from Association of Holocaust Survivors from the FSU, and majority of members – about 600 people – have joined the new organization. The mission is to preserve memories of Holocaust, to bear witness to the Holocaust perpetrated against the Nazi atrocities on Soviet soil, and to help Holocaust survivors to adapt to the new life in USA. 250-300 people attend their commemoration events; the members are invited to speak in schools; they are frequent guests on Russian TV and radio. This organization supports its members by visiting them at home and in the hospitals. The neediest are getting food packages. There are 895 registered members; 317 paid members, over 50 volunteers (helping to distribute food packages, etc.).

30. Research Institute for New Americans (RINA) (President Sam Kliger)

RINA was created in 1998. The mission is to provide information regarding the social, demographic, identification and integration processes of the Russian-speaking immigrants’ community by doing study and research. The topics of the recent projects include: Russian-Jewish immigrants in New York City: Status, Identity, and Integration; Russian Jews in New York as Voter in November 2000 Election, etc.

31. "Roshnoi-Light" Club (President Robert Pinkhasov)

32. Russian-American Arts Foundation (RAAF) (President Rina Kirshner)

33. The Russian-American Civic Association (RACA) (President Elana Broitman)

34. Russian American Cultural Center (RACC) (President Dr. Regina Khidekel)

35. Russian American Voters Educational League (RAVEL) (President Vladimir Epshtein)

36. RAJE (Shaarei Emunah) (Rabbi Mordechai Tokarsky)

37. "SHAARE" Self-help Association of American Russian Elderly (President Klara Kuchment)

38. Staten Island Community Center (SICC) (President Arkadiy Fridman)

39. STEPS Theatre Production Company (President Slava Stepnov)

40. United Association of East European Jewry (President Dmitriy Margulis)

41. Wheelchair Support Association (WSA) (President Alla Sverdlova)

42. World of Women Immigrants (President Sveltana Levitina)