I will be spending this Pesach in St Petersburg with the Progressive Jewish Community

My name is Danny Burkeman, and I am a Rabbinic student at the Leo Baeck College in London, currently studying for the year at HUC in Jerusalem.

In July of last year I was privileged to be a participant at the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) Biennial in Moscow. It was a fantastic experience on many levels, but one of the most inspiring elements of the trip was meeting with the young Progressive Jews of the Former Soviet Union, who were rediscovering their Judaism after years of silence under communist rule. I came back from Moscow and St Petersburg inspired by what I had seen, enthused for my Progressive Judaism and generally reinvigorated on a personal and Jewish level.

By returning to St Petersburg this Pesach I hope that I will be able to begin giving something back to the community there.

This trip would not have been possible without the support of a number of Rabbis and their communities in the UK.

I must also say a special thanks to Rabbi Michael Farbman, the Rabbi in St Petersburg, and Alex Kagan, director of FSU programming for the WUPJ without their help and support this trip would not have been possible. I would also like to thank Debbie Pulik of the WUPJ and Rabbi David Wilfond who have both been very supportive and helpful in putting this trip together. 

This page was last updated on 03/31/06.