Visit to the National Historical Archive of Belarus of the Chief Rabbi of the Religious Association of Communities of Progressive Judaism in Belarus G.S. Abramovich

On April 3, 2023, within the framework of the events of the Year of Peace and Creation proclaimed in the Republic of Belarus, the National Historical Archive of Belarus was visited by the Chief Rabbi of the religious association of communities of progressive Judaism in Belarus Grigory Abramovich.

During the visit, Maxim Makarov, Deputy Director of the NEA of Belarus, told the guest about the history and funds of the institution, as well as about the specifics of its activities and main areas of work. Vladimir Denisov, Leading Researcher of the Department for the Use of Documents and Information, conducted a tour of the archives for the distinguished guest, where he acquainted him with a number of unique documents, as well as samples of sources on Jewish genealogy, which are stored in the archive. Later, the Deputy Head of the Research and Publication Department, Evgeny Glinsky, demonstrated to G.S. Abramovich, several dozen original documents of the late 16th – early 20th century. on the history of Jewish communities and the Jewish religious community in the Belarusian lands, which have been identified in recent years. The archive staff paid special attention to the fact that for centuries Belarus remained a country where representatives of different peoples and different faiths coexisted peacefully, and all of them had opportunities for free development and creative work.

As a result of the meeting, the parties agreed on long-term cooperation in the cultural sphere, which should contribute to interfaith dialogue and the consolidation of the Belarusian society, which becomes especially significant in the Year of Peace and Creation. The parties are planning to hold a joint virtual exhibition of documents on the history of the Jews in Belarus.