Kazakhstan. The Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev has received in Astana the delegation of Euro-Asian Rabbi Council. They discussed the questions of inter-confessional and interethnic partnership. The Euro-Asian Rabbi Council includes the representatives of Jewish communities from 17 countries of Europe, CIS, Baltic States and Asian-Pacific region.

The delegation arrived in Kazakhstan on October 21 to hold an inter-confessional dialogue, having previously met with the Muslim clergy of Kazakhstan.

Russia. Chief Rabbi of South Russia Eliashiv Kaplun was detained in the Rostov-na-Donu airport. He was returning from Israel with his wife and three children. Kaplun was put under arrest for three days in a local hotel. He had his passport withdrawn.

As Kaplun stated, his Russian entry visa was absolutely normal. Besides, the authorities gave him no explanations and no reason of his detention, as well as that of release.

According to Rabbi, mass media accused him... of espionage (!).

Kaplun has lived in Rostov-na-Donu over 9 years being the head of a 10-thousand strong Jewish community.

Russia. The first meeting of businesswomen of former Soviet Union and Israel took place in Moscow within the frames of businesswomen Forum organized by the Jewish agency. 35 Israelites, nearly 70 businesswomen from different CIS countries as well as a group of German businesswomen, natives of former Soviet Union, were present at the meeting. The conference turned to be the first step on the way of creating an International Jewish forum of businesswomen.

Russia. The "Freid" Jewish community has received from the Moscow company "Tekhoptima-Lux" 600 thousand RUR on its account. The money is aimed at a synagogue' construction in Birobidjan. The total sum of voluntary donations to this construction has reached 3 mln. RUR since the beginning of this year. Nearly 2,5 mln RUR were received from Chief Rabbi of Russia according (FJCR) Berl Lazar. 600 thousands RUR are expected to arrive soon. And 3,5 mln. RUR envisaged by the federal budget for a synagogue construction haven't yet arrived in Birobidjan.

Russia. A seminar "The role of cultural establishments in the development of national culture and strengthening interethnic cooperation of Ural region' peoples" took place in Udmurtia. The participants visited a Jewish culture community center in order to learn its work and exchange experience in Center's management. They evaluated high effectiveness of Center's work and its ties with communities of Udmurtia's small towns.

Kharkov. A 10-ton Memorial stone to "Holocaust victims" disappeared from Drobitskiy Yar. The regional committee "Drobitskiy Yar" established it in April 1998, on the Catastrophe Day, in the place of shooting 16 thousands of Kharkov Jews.

We managed to find out that a large-tonnage granite block, registered as a historical monument, being under state protection, had been dismantled and driven away by the construction organization holding the works in Drobitskiy Yar.

The Culture department commission of Regional state administration offered to the Department of major construction to bring back the historical monument onto its legitimate place by 10 a.m. on October 30, 2002. Past this deadline the Department of culture will be forced to address to the Public Prosecutor's office with the demand to institute criminal proceedings on the ground of destructing a historical monument.