Life at Almaty’s Jewish community centre

Almaty’s Chabad centre is at 206E Raiymbek Avenue. The Chabad directory lists preschool and teenage programmes, a library, women’s gatherings, kosher food, hospitality on Shabbat, visits to the sick, programmes for older people and adult classes. 2

Dovid Margolin’s report links the establishment of the Almaty centre to Rabbi Yeshaya Cohen. He first came to Almaty for Passover in 1994 and returned with his wife in spring 1995. In the 2024 publication, the author writes about twelve emissary families and centres in seven cities. 1

From a family loss to communal prayer

In Dovid Margolin’s report, published by Chabad.org in August 2024, Albert (Shlomo) Shimoni, chair of Almaty’s Jewish community, recalls his father’s death in 1994. Afterwards, he came to the synagogue to recite Kaddish. According to him, the synagogue was initially open once a week, on Saturdays. After Rabbi Yeshaya Cohen arrived, Shimoni began attending daily. 1

Shimoni was born in Alma-Ata in 1971. His family came from a community of Iranian Jews who had settled in Georgia. In 1950, the family was deported to Kazakhstan. 1

Communities in seven cities

The report names communities in Almaty, Astana, Pavlodar, Kostanay, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Karaganda and Shymkent. Shymkent’s first mikveh for ritual immersion opened on 9 July 2024. These details describe Chabad’s network at the time of publication. 1 4