- Yitzchok Kogan
Yitzchok Kogan is an Orthodox
rabbi affiliated with theChabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement. He serves inMoscow ,Russia where he is the rabbi of theBolshaya Bronnaya Synagogue and a member of theAgudas Chasidei Chabad ofRussia .Education
State Engineering University of Leningrad (St. Petersburg). He later became a
nuclear submarine s engineer in the former Soviet Union.Fact|date=March 2007Refusnik
In 1974 he applied to the
Soviet authority's to makeAliyah toIsrael which was uniquely hard because of his sensitive job as nuclear submarines engineer. Kogan was dismissed from his position because of his application for a visa to Israel. His wife, Sophia, a prominentdentist heading a department at a large hospital, was also dismissed.Fact}]While living in
Saint Petersburg , Kogan looked for ways to help the budding Orthodox Jewish community in Leningrad. Seeing the need for ashochet (ritual slaughterer), learned the intricate laws and detailed skills necessary for that profession. The Kogan home was always full of young people interested in finding out more about their Jewish heritage. Often, the Kogan's introduced single men and women who later married. Their involvement didn't stop at mere introductions. The weddings were often held at the Kogan home, with their three daughters helping prepare a feast for 80-100 people. It was during this era that Yitzchok became known as "the Tzadik of Leningrad".Fact|date=March 2007In 1988 his family won their battle to emigrate to Israel to live a Jewish life. After living for one year in Israel they were sent back to Russia by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi
Menachem Mendel Schneerson , to help support the development of Jewish life after the fall of the iron curtain.Fact}]Recent activity
Kogan serves as the rabbi of the
Bolshaya Bronnaya Synagogue inMoscow , and on the board ofAgudas Chasidei Chabad ofRussia . He is active in efforts to help return the "Schneerson Collection " - the library of the Chabad movement stranded in Russia.Fact|date=March 2007External links
* [http://www.bronnaya.ru Bolshaya Bronnaya Synagogue]
* [http://www.fjc.ru/AboutUs/leader.asp?AID=84927 Article on the Federation of Jewish Communities of CIS website]
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