On Saturday, Jan. 1, when the world welcomes the secular New Year 2022, a new kind of celebration will be held in Israel for the first time: Novy God Shabbat.
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Kibbutz Ein Tzurim, a religious kibbutz in southern Israel, will welcome immigrants from the former Soviet Union who want to mark the traditional Novy God holiday while observing the Jewish Sabbath.
The event is scheduled to take place at the kibbutz's Yaacov Herzog Center. In addition to the Shabbat candle lighting, guests will be treated to zakuski – a selection of alcohol and Russian small plates – a traditional eastern European "kabbalat Shabbat," a meal featuring kosher food from the former Soviet states, cards and chess, and dialogue about the guests' Russian-Israeli identities.
Girls taking part in the IDF preparatory program that the kibbutz hosts will also take part.
Yonaton Dobov, CEO of the Herzog Center and an advocate for Russian-speakers in Israeli society, said, "Novy God is an opportunity for dialogue and to get to know the cultural wealth of a million immigrants from the FSU, who have a place in the Israeli story.
"This year, we took it one step forward to hold a full Jewish Shabbat that also expresses our roots from there. Two weeks ago, all the places were taken, and I'm happy to see that there is demand for this special integration," Dobov said.
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