הנחת אבן הפינה בראשות ר' בערל לאזאר | Muslim Philanthropist funds new Synagogue in Dagestan

Less than a year after a synagogue and Torah scrolls were burned by terrorists in the city of Derbent in Dagestan, Russia, a cornerstone was laid for a new synagogue, which members of the Jewish community say will be one of the most magnificent in the world. The new synagogue will be entirely funded by a local Muslim philanthropist, Suleyman Kerimov. Kerimov, who maintains a personal relationship with Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar, invited him to the cornerstone-laying ceremony. Lazar’s journey began with his arrival at the airport in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, a year and a half after hundreds of Muslim rioters attempted to harm passengers on a flight arriving from Israel. The airport administration greeted the rabbi with great respect and presented him with a comprehensive overview of the enhanced security measures implemented since the incident, which deeply shocked both Russia and Israel. The perpetrators of the riot were severely punished by the Russian government. At the request of the chief rabbi, who appealed to the president of Russia, a medal of bravery will be awarded to the government official who personally stopped the rioters. Derbent, though not the