In 2001 Dnepropetrovsk solemnly celebrated its 225th anniversary. This jubilee was timed with the minting of memorable medals - awards for a considerable contribution to the city development and active participation in its social life.

December 26 the Choral synagogue "Golden Rose" hosted the solemn ceremony of awarding the leaders and activists of the Dnepropetrovsk Jewish community. The Dnepropetrovsk Mayor Ivan Ivanovich Kulichenko addressed the community with the speech in which he underlined the considerable contribution the Jewish community brings to the development of Dnepropetrovsk. Many members of the Jewish community received these awards for their activity as constructors, men of culture and arts, businessmen and public figures. But today, the Mayor noted, we award those who distinguished themselves namely in the Jewish community life, the leaders of the community, one of the biggest national communities of Dnepropetrovsk. Particularly symbolic is the fact that awarding ceremony takes place in the Choral synagogue "Golden Rose", which has recently been open after the reconstruction and has become the pride of our city.

The memorable medals marking 225 years of Dnepropetrovsk were awarded to: rabbi Eliezer Avtson, the founder and President of the World Jewish organization of assistance and consolation, which social projects (the construction of the American Jewish medical center, house for the elderly and others) are extremely important for all Dnepropetrovsk residents; Chief Rabbi of Dnepropetrovsk and the Dnepropetrovsk region Shmuel Kaminetsky, the spiritual leader of the Jewish community; Yuriy Kiperman, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Dnepropetrovsk Jewish community, who, since 1990, actively helps to develop and revive the community; Alexander Fridkis, the office manager of the Jewish religious community, one of a few people thanks to whose activity the flame of the Jewish life didn't go out in 1970's; Arkady Shmist, the historian, researcher, author of the monument at the place of mass killings of Jews in 1941.

In his reply Chief Rabbi of Dnepropetrovsk Shmuel Kaminetsky underlined that Dnepropetrovsk is a particular city enjoying a special blessing from the Lubavichi Rebe who lived in Dnepropetrovsk in his childhood and youth, and noted that he, as the Rebe's envoy, together with the whole community will apply all his efforts to help the city prosper for the benefit of all its residents.