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 Project Kesher Condemns Bomb Attack On Russian Jewish Community Synagogue and Community Center
New York - June 22, 2010 - Project Kesher today condemned Monday's bombing of the Tver synagogue and Jewish community center which houses an ORT-KesherNet center.

The bombing forced the temporary closing of the center, which provides job skills to Jewish and non-Jewish women in the region. Two passersby were injured and extensive property damage occurred.

"It is shocking and deplorable that the ORT-KesherNET Center in Tver, which has been a force for so much good and promise in the region, would be damaged by those committed to destruction, injury and even worse," said Karyn Gershon, Executive Director of Project Kesher.  "The damage will be repaired, and in the process, we will continue to work with women in this community to become self-sufficient and to support the rebuilding of Jewish life throughout the region. This initiative and our partners at Project Kesher-Russia will emerge stronger than ever.

"We, of course, are thankful that no deaths resulted from this despicable act, and our thoughts and prayers are with those who sustained injuries."

The ORT-KesherNet Center in Tver, northwest of Moscow, is one of 17 throughout the former Soviet Union that has provided life-changing job skills to 18,000 women. The centers are a joint project of Project Kesher and World ORT, and are open to women based on need, with priority given to single mothers, the unemployed, refugees and members of other vulnerable groups.

The Tver center opened in 2002 and has trained 1,177 women in computer literacy and office skills.  Thirty five students are currently enrolled there.
 About Project Kesher

Founded in 1989, Project Kesher is one of the fastest growing advocacy and human rights organizations in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Georgia and Kazakhstan with 165+ Jewish women's groups and more than 90 multi-ethnic, multi-religious coalitions of women that spanning nine time zones. Project Kesher programs provide innovative leadership training programs for women and girls; Jewish educational programs and holiday celebrations; Torahs to communities where there were none; job training at 17 ORT-KesherNet computer centers; and grassroots social action and large-scale advocacy on the issues of domestic violence, human trafficking, women's health issues, anti-Semitism and other forms of religious and ethnic intolerance.  Project Kesher programs are inspired by Jewish values and designed to create pluralist communities committed to social justice and to promote civic participation across ethnic, religious and national lines.  Most recently, Project Kesher has expanded into Israel working with a Russian speaking population.