Russian-speaking Jewish Division, JUF

06/09/2026

What a great first RJD jBbaby Musical Movement class in the suburbs!

Our outdoor summer sessions brought together music, movement, and fresh air—creating a joyful experience for our little ones.

We love seeing Russian-speaking Jewish families connect and build community while their children explore rhythm and sound with our amazing instructors 💛

Can’t wait to see you at our next events!

Thank you The Goddard School for providing such a beautiful space for our classes, and thank you Stages for the professional work—it was an unforgettable experience!

jBabyChicago

06/03/2026

Help Us Create Cozy Beds for Shelter Dogs!

This year, the RJD Family Retreat is dedicated to Tikkun Olam—repairing the world, and one of our hands-on activities will be making dog pillows by reusing old pillow inserts.

We’re collecting clean, gently used pillow inners (synthetic filling) of all sizes to give them a second life.

These will be turned into cozy beds for a local animal shelter. 🐶💙

What we’re collecting:
• Pillow inserts (clean & gently used)
• Any sizes
• Synthetic filling preferred

Also, registration for the Retreat is still open, and we would love for you to join us: https://www.juf.org/event/12th-annual-rjd-family-retreat/register/

Thank you for helping us make a difference!

@подписчики

05/22/2026

05/15/2026

Such an inspiring afternoon with the women of the RJD Board (Anna Gorbikoff, Yana Lm , Jane Zhenya, Yana Kolbasov) and JUF Board member Eteri Zaslavsky at JUF Women's Philanthropy Spring Event. We were deeply moved by Idan Amedi - actor, singer-songwriter, and war hero - whose raw, heartfelt reflections on his recovery from a life‑altering injury in Gaza — his music, his devotion to family, and his belief in the power of community, especially in a moment when diaspora Jews are growing increasingly divided.
We were equally moved by the opening remarks from Women’s Philanthropy lay leaders, especially Rada Burdeen, whose immigration journey from Kyiv echoes the stories of so many in our community. Proud to see her representing women and Russian‑speaking Jews making a real impact.

05/12/2026

Presenting our final panelist for next week's RJD Excelsior AI Unlocked: Practical Applications and Expert Panel: you'll hear from Kirill Polevoy, a product leader with over a decade of experience building teams and shipping products across fintech and insurtech. He is the co-founder of Shiphaus, a global AI builder community, and runs an operational consulting practice that identifies what’s costing businesses money and builds systems to fix it.
Seats are limited! Register at juf.org/rjdnetworking

05/05/2026

We are excited to introduce our next panelist: Vera Ermolinskiy. Vera is a digital transformation leader at Accenture Song, where she partners with Fortune 1000 companies to reimagine their customer experience and accelerate business growth. As Industrials AI Search Lead and Customer Experience Assessment lead, she develops cutting-edge thought leadership and client offerings that shape how customer behavior is changing and how enterprises navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
She is currently leading the development of agentic AI solutions that accelerate sales and delivery teams, and is a recognized voice on Agentic AI, authoring industry POVs that help clients translate AI strategy into measurable business outcomes.
Vera is equally committed to growing the next generation of digital talent, mentoring a team of consultants and managers while expanding Accenture Song's footprint across industries.
Beyond her client work, she serves on the Board of America Needs You, a national nonprofit advancing educational and career equity for first-generation college students, and advises WAKE, a global organization supporting women-owned businesses and economic empowerment. Join us on May 19 to hear from Vera! juf.org/rjdnetworking

05/04/2026

Rooted in Jewish wisdom that self care is a sacred responsibility, the Russian-speaking Jewish Division presented a workshop offering a supportive space to regulate the nervous system, reconnect with inner calm, and learn practical tools. The experience was guided by , LCSW, a trauma specialist and trained Brainspotting practitioner with deep expertise in mind-body healing.

We are proud to be cosponsored by Lifeway Kefir, who was providing delicious and healthy dishes made with their signature products for all participants to enjoy.

04/20/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who joined RJD, JCC Chicago, and CJE SeniorLife at the Lake County JCC for our Daffodil Memorial Garden Program – Blooms for Bibas.

Together, we shared a powerful afternoon honoring the children lost in the Holocaust and those who lost their lives during the Hamas attacks in Israel. The presence of survivors Raisa Khusid & Leonid Spivak made the event especially powerful, as teenagers Jacob & Baila Vaysman shared their stories with such care and respect. An important reminder of why these stories must continue to be passed on from generation to generation.

We are so proud of the “forever garden” we started together. By upcycling plastic bottles into year-round daffodils, we’ve created a tribute that will never wilt—a symbol that we will never forget.

Thank you for helping our community memory continue to bloom. 💛