These days one can discern great activity in preparation for the annual conference of the Rabbinical Centre of Europe, this year scheduled in Moscow, Russia, as an encouraging sign for Rabbanim of the former Soviet Union who display much self-sacrifice throughout the year in their widespread activities.

Hundreds of Rabbanim from Europe and Eretz Yisroel are expected to attend the three-day conference, which will open next week. Its purpose is to bring together Rabbanim from all of Europe in one venue, to discuss current Halachic issues and other topics relevant to daily Jewish communal life in Europe. This assembly enables Rabbanim to take counsel from communal Rabbanim of other countries facing similar situations, and discuss ways of dealing with them.

It is also an annual opportunity for younger Rabbanim to receive support, direction and blessing from their revered, more senior colleagues. At this year’s conference, the lectures and panels will deal with the practical management of daily communal life: Kashrus matters, marriage and divorce, Geirus and so forth.

Responsible for the spiritual leadership of the conference are the Rabbanim, Rabbi Avrohom Yafe-Schlesinger, Rov of Machzikei Hadas, Geneva; Rabbi Yirmiyahu Cohen, Head of the Beth Din in Paris; Rabbi Yosef Dovid Frankfurter, Rov of Adas Yereim in Paris; Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Raskin, Dayan in the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations in London; Rabbi Yehuda Leib Lewis, until recently the Rov of Amsterdam.

The opening event of the conference will take place in the building of the Jewish communal centre in Moscow, Marina Roscha, and the participants will be taken from there to the camp owned by the Union of Soviet Rabbanim, placed at their disposal by Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar and purchased with the assistance of the religious philanthropist Mr Lev Leviev who personally originates from the former Soviet Union.

Naturally this event earns substantial public interest, since it gathers hundreds of Rabbanim and Dayanim from all over Europe under one roof and for the first time in many years is taking place in Moscow, Russia, until recently the capital of Communism and symbol of opposition to religion and Rabbis.

Last year’s Rabbinical conference which took place in Vienna, the Austrian capital, was covered by hundreds of news reporters from all over the world, partly due to the participation of the President of the EU, Mr Romano Prodi, who specifically travelled in a private plane from Brussels to address the Rabbanim. The Austrian President also honoured the conference with his presence and an official reception was held for the guests in Vienna’s City Hall, hosted by the Mayor of Vienna. This year too there will be an impressive Rabbinic presence, while newsmen from Israel and across the world will cover the conference.