For Eva Langweiler from Izhevsk, Udmurt Republic, town of 300,000, this is her first time when she participates in the event of Jewish students’ organization Hillel not in a student’s capacity. 25-year old, she nevertheless is not going to break up with the community she devoted five years of her student’s life.

Some two hundred Jewish youth activists from over twenty Russian and Ukrainian towns gathered this week in the remote suburb of the Northern capital for a four-day training and socializing. Hillel’s regional educational coordinators and so-called Jewish Renaissance Fellows from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Ukraine as well as special envoys from Washington and Jerusalem joined them.

The gathering somehow reminded old good Soviet scouts’ camp in many respects, starting from daily morning drawing-ups (re-named here with the Hebrew morning salute Boker Tov) and ending up with modest, not to say Spartans (or, if you like, Kibbutz-style) meals and accommodation in an old-fashioned sub-urban hotel.

What distinguished the event from some political congresses in this country was the team (and even family) spirit rarely seen in the individualistic post-Soviet society. And a motto of the assembly was “Hillel Today: Building a New Reality”.

Director of Hillel’s International Division in Washington, Aaron Goldberg, tells me poetically that the organization tries to “catch the light beaming from the souls” of the young Jews:

--We work with very different communities that exist in very different circumstances. So far, I can’t boast that we have found the way to each of them. Mind, this job cannot be completed with the efforts of a single leader however talented he or she is. This is a job for everyone.

Aaron Goldberg nods to the newly appointed Director for Russian Hillel, Leia Berlin. At the opening ceremony in Strelna convention hall Leia looked overcome with the warm welcome the students gave her. They prepared the surprise for their new leader, shooting a three-minute video describing Leia’s merits as a person and a manager.

Credited in such an unexpected way, Leia Berlin could not hide her emotions:

--I spent eleven years in Cleveland in the United States, and after I came to Russia in April, I see my objective in this country to unite Hillel with its partners. This week’s open space staff training filled me with the strong feeling that Jewish activists here have been ready to revolutionize their work.

Not everyone among the guests at Strelna convention shares Berlin’s euphoria, however.

A fresh Moscow graduate Alexandra sounds rather sober about the mood some Jewish teenagers demonstrate. She explains her approach from her own experience as an alumnus:

--This is my fourth time in a Hillel’s event, -- Alexandra tells as we stroll along the Finnish Bay embankment during the lunch break. – I love its atmosphere; we all are having our time here (she uses Hebrew word “ruah” to describe the joy). But outside the Hillel I can see many young people who connect their Jewish roots to a cultural expression rather than to spiritual experience.

She frowns.

—This is very much the same like some teens call themselves “the Goths”, or Star Track’s “Jedi”, or whatever, you’ve got the point. Well, it’s a way easier just to wear a kipa or a Magen David necklace than to obey so many of the everyday restrictions Judaism imposes. These young people want to have fun from everything, not hardships. Judaism is not an exception.

A week in Strelna showed that Sasha was both right and wrong.

Well, people want to have as much fun as they could consume, and they have plenty of it at the Hillel. That week, fun was catered by a live rock group, excursions to StPetersburg’s Jewish memorable sites, a night in a theatre in Jewish House (YESOD), let alone a fun of socializing with the colleagues from over the world. Yes, here in Strelna, only a few of the participants wore kipas, T-shorts with hexagonal star or any other Jewish symbols. The students listened to the same loud hip-hop music their Russian and American peers listen. Flag of Israel decorated hotel’s convention hall, but that was likely the only sign of some Jewish-related event was taking place there.

Nevertheless, the President of the Chais Family Foundation in Jerusalem and Honorary President of Hillel, Avraham Infeld, speaks confidently about the future of Jewish life in Russia:

--Five years ago was my first visit to Russia and I can see how much the people here changed. This is because the Russian reality has changed itself. And the Jewish world too has been changing swiftly. Every year, more and more Jewish educational centers open their doors in every corner of that huge country. This must be a great advantage for Hillel that its new leadership in Russia doesn’t carry a legacy of the past. Hillel at its thirteenth year in Russia starts moving from an organization OF students to the organization FOR students.

--We welcome every Jewish community, be it Habbad, or JCC, or any other one, which is willing to take part in re-shaping of the Hillel, - Avraham Infeld adds. 

Leia Berlin’s top priority as a leader “free from a legacy of the past” is to develop the Hillel governance throughout Russia by creating the local boards of governors in the country numerous regions. There is no any deadline for attaining this target. Both Aaron Goldberg and Avraham Infeld agree, the needs of the “union for student” would be the top priority for any Jewish organization in Russia, regardless of its political affiliation.

--I think, a youth movement should guide itself, and not be guided from the outside, -- agrees Alexander Frenkel, Executive Director for StPetersburg Jewish Community Center. – Young people are very much sensitive when somebody challenges their independence. If they suspect they are guided they may loose “a spark” in their hearts.

We are talking in Alexander’s office on Rubinstein Street, and the Director of the Community Center does not hesitate to act as a guide for a JTA correspondent. He shows me around the premises located in a 19-century building in the historical area of the town.

The JCC, Frenkel explains, is a secular organization with the accent on cultural development of its members. As such, Frenkel insists, JCC welcomes Hillel leadership’s efforts to close the ranks with other secular organizations working with the Jewish youth.

--I witnessed many occasions when Hillel organized some events together with the Jewish   Agency, - Alexander says. – I think, this is a right direction, especially in the smaller towns where there is little Jewish population. One needs unite Jewish students, not divide them.

In the YESOD Centre (unlike the JCC office, Jewish House is an ultra-modern brightly lit stone-and-glass building planted in the middle of decrepit neighborhoods) I spoke to a girl came from one of the towns Alexander Frenkel has mentioned. Eva Langweiler is a Hillel free participant from town of Izhevsk. Izhevsk is well-known as a birthplace of Kalashnikov assault rifle. But Eva and her five fellows are absolutely peaceful, yet convincing people.

--Our town is of medium size and there is only a handful of educational institutions, -- Eva explains. – Still, we experience some problems with advertising the Hillel activity. I can’t say the rectors and deans are reluctant to allow us handing out the leaflets or sticking posters in the universities buildings. However, I personally faced several times misunderstanding from the non-Jewish students. They suspected we were trying to involve their friends in some sort of sectarianism. That’s why we invite the students to Hillel mostly using the kind of the bush telegraph.

--We by no means are going to turn the Hillel into a sort of a club with the limited membership that segregates Jewish students from their Russian mates, -- Avraham Infeld points out. – Rather, we strive for helping the young people to realize their Judaic background, to feel themselves comfortable with their Jewish “internal space”.

--This is a very ambitious path, -- Aaron Goldberg nods.