The message reads, in part:
“This holiday is rooted in the ancient good traditions of truly caring for others and helping and supporting those in need. The values of Judaism, like those of the other traditional religions, are based on the eternal ideals of justice and good. Over the centuries these values have served the noble goals of uniting people and building trust and mutual understanding among them.
I am sure that Russia’s Jewish community will continue to make a valuable contribution to developing the interethnic and interfaith dialogue in our country and strengthening the centuries-old friendship between our peoples.”