Will a museum and synagogue be built for Jews in Uzbekistan?

Russian Chief Rabbi Berl Lazar is on a two-day official visit to Tashkent. According to Gazeta.uz, he met with Tashkent City Governor Shavkat Umurzakov, Chairman of the Committee for Religious Affairs Sodiq Toshboev, and representatives of the local Jewish community.

As part of the visit, the delegation visited the Jewish cemetery and synagogues in Tashkent. According to information, this cemetery was established during World War II and is the burial place of famous figures - film director Vladimir Shapiro, photographer Max Penson, and sculptor Yakov Shapiro.

During his visit, Berl Lazar also got acquainted with the cemetery reconstruction project. The source noted that the project includes the renovation of graves, the construction of a new chapel and a gate.

During a meeting with the Chief Rabbi, Chairman of the Committee for Religious Affairs, Sodiq Toshboev, congratulated him on the upcoming Passover holiday and announced that a large amount of matzah is brought to Uzbekistan every year on the occasion of the holiday. He noted that this year, this aid will also be provided on a humanitarian basis, free of charge.

Sodiq Toshboev also emphasized that Jewish communities, like all other registered religious organizations, fully enjoy all rights and privileges, the report says.

During the meetings, Berl Lazar announced the idea of establishing a museum in Uzbekistan that would showcase the history of the Jewish people, as well as a separate synagogue for worship services. Tashkent City Mayor Shavkat Umurzakov supported this initiative and expressed his readiness to provide practical assistance to the project.