75^th ANNIVERSARY OF NOVO-DIVEEVO CONVENT, New York

On September 14^th, the Russian Orthodox Convent Novo-Diveevo, commemorated it’s 75^th anniversary of the convent in Nanuet, New York. Founded in October of 1949 by Father Adrian Rimarenko (later Archbishop Andrei of Rockland), the convent is home to many sacred relics including a full length portrait of St. Seraphim of Sarov painted during his lifetime, a cross from the Ipatiev House, and a “Vladimir” icon of the Holy Theotokos, a gift from the Optina Pustyn monastery. In June of 2018, CRA President, N.Sabelnik attended the unveiling and dedication of the bronze monument of St.Seraphim of Sarov on the grounds of the convent.

The Novo Diveevo Cemetery is an integral part of the convent and is the largest Russian Orthodox cemetery outside of Russia. The cemetery has been home to many nuns, as well as clergy, and numerous prominent people buried among the nearly 8000 graves in the cemetery.

The Anniversary Celebrations began on Friday, September 13^th with the greeting of the myrrh-streaming Hawaiian-Iveron Icon of the Mother of God at 5:30 pm, followed by the All-Night Vigil. On Saturday morning Hierarch Metropolitan Nicholas arrived to serve Divine Liturgy and Moleben in the St. Seraphim Cathedral, which was overflowing with clergy and the faithful. After the Liturgy the celebratory banquet, headed by Metropolitan Nicholas, included Archbishop Gabriel and Bishops Irenei, Jerome and Luke, numerous clergy, nuns, and local and out-of-town guests. An exhibit of the history of Novo Diveevo from its founding was also on display.

A congratulatory letter from the CRA, addressed to the Hierarch, Bishops, Abbess Makaria, and the clergy was read by long-time CRA member and active member of the Russian-American New York community, Ludmila Selinsky. L.Selinsky’s father, the late Rostislav Polchaninoff, a well-known journalist and activist in the Russian Abroad, was one of the founders of CRA. He continued to contribute greatly to CRA’s biographical dictionary, published by Prof. Eugene Alexandrov, and was featured in the CRA’s docu-series film on the “Great Exodus” of White Russians after the end of the Civil War. L.Selinsky continues to organize and send containers of cultural and historic materials of the Russian Abroad to the Solzhenitsyn Museum in Russia.

The CRA greeting thanked the dedicated clergy and nuns who have served the spiritual needs of the congregation and the aged and ailing in their adult home throughout the years, especially in the final stages of the Orthodox Christian person’s life.

CRA is proud of the long-standing association with Novo Diveevo convent and the community, as CRA was founded in New York over 50 years ago (before the headquarters were moved to San Francisco in 2000 at the election of George Avisov as President), and many of CRA’s members have found their final resting place at the Novo Diveevo Cemetery.

CRA congratulated all, including the nuns, clergy, choir and the entire congregation on the 75^th anniversary and wished all good health, spiritual happiness, prosperity and peace for Many, Many Years.

As graduation season continues with Russian School graduations, some of our Russian-American youth also graduated with degrees as under and post-graduates throughout the US.   

Daniel Judd, an active member of the Russian-American community, graduated from UCLA with double majors— political science and history—on June 14, 2024.   Daniel attended Sts. Peter & Paul Russian Orthodox church, where he was an altar boy beginning as a small child, and volunteered at the church and in the community.   He speaks fluent English, Russian and Spanish and is planning to intern and travel over the next year before attending law school.   On Sunday, June 23, following the liturgy of the Feast of the Trinity, where he again served in the altar, his parents hosted a graduation party for him with family, friends and parishioners from the church.   During the event, CRA President, Natalie Sabelnik presented Daniel with a proclamation for his excellent achievements at the university and his dedication in preserving the spiritual and cultural Russian-American heritage.   A congratulatory letter with honorary membership for 2024 and a monetary gift was also given to him with an invitation to join CRA.  Daniel thanked CRA and N.Sabelnik and was eager to continue his membership at CRA.

As part of the annual support to Russian-American youth, CRA participates in Russian School graduations, presenting congratulatory letters with complimentary honorary CRA 2024 membership to graduates, along with proclamations and monetary gifts (to Gold and Silver award recipients).

This year, Russian Schools in Burlingame, San Francisco and Los Angeles sent in the names of their graduates, and CRA representatives presented the awards to each graduate during their graduation ceremonies. If your Russian School (supplementary to regular English school) has a graduating class next year, please let CRA know in ahead of time, so that we can prepare in advance and congratulate your students.

In Los Angeles, during the graduation ceremonies, CRA director, Ivan Podvalov, also presented the 2024 CRA scholarship to Sasha Gadalova. She was recognized for her exemplary academic achievements, hard work and participation in support of the Russian-American community, and pursuit of promoting Russian culture through her educational goals with her project “Assimilation in Alaska. Old Believers and the Evolution of their Identity”.

CRA congratulates this year’s scholarship recipient, as well as all graduates throughout all the Russian Schools in the U.S. for their completion and fine achievements in Russian studies, including language, literature, history and scriptures. Those students who have continued their membership in CRA (or whose parents are CRA members) and meet all the criteria are eligible to apply for CRA scholarship when they enter college or university.

The Russian Center in San Franciso (national headquarters of Congress of Russian Americans) came alive on Saturday, December 9, when the Slavic Holiday Fair, organized by their new Operations Manager, Sasha Sabelnik-Whooley was held there. These holiday bazaars were held for several years, but were discontinued some 10 years ago, and not revived following the pandemic. It seemed like an excellent idea to resurrect this holiday pre-Christmas fair and once-again bring the Russian-American community together.

Non-profit organizations like Congress of Russian Americans, Russian-America Women’s League, Museum of Russian Culture SF, St. John’s Academy, Russian School of All Russian Saints Church in Burlingame, All Cossack’s Union of SF, Holy Virgin Cathedral Choir, the Russian River church of Our Lady of Kazan and Russian American Community Services, as well as some commercial vendors sold food (including borscht and cabbage, meat & mushroom piroshki), a wide assortment of desserts and gifts, including jewelry, books, candles, plants, collectibles and other gifts. St. John’s Academy hosted a table with face-painting, Teremok Childcare at Russian Center had a toss challenge for gifts, Congress of Russian Americans, in addition to their table selling books and DVDs, organized a game table with miscellaneous gifts, including books, stuffed animals, games, dolls, cars and other prizes in an “everyone wins” lottery. The Cossack Santa was available for a special photo against a winter background with a selection of authentic Russian costumes to wear in the photo.

The program of children’s performances was most delightful where small children from Teremok recited poetry, sang songs and danced with Grandfather Frost (Ded Moroz) and the Snow Maiden (Snegurochka). In addition to Nino’s Rhythmic gymnastics performances, Russian dance by Lucas Klestoff, boyar dance by Olga Prokoshina, Bulgarian dancers, as well as musicians and dancers of Vladimir Riazantseff dance group, children from Sts. Cyril & Methodius High School also sang and recited poetry in Russian, and other performances as well as piano, Ded Moroz and Snegurochka danced several circle dances (horovod) with the children and parents. CRA also sponsored the food and drinks for the children performers.

Sasha, who was not only the organizer of the entire event and MC of the performances, entertained everyone throughout the day in her holiday costume and festive mood, setting the tone for the upcoming holidays of Christmas and New Year, as well as the good news of the possibility of the revival of the annual Russian Festival to be held on March 1, 2 and 3, 2024, once again at the Russian Center SF.

Ode to Fall & Commemoration of Ivan Turgenev.

On November 19, in the hall of the Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco, under the auspices of the Congress of Russian Americans, a meeting of the Orthodox Youth Literary Club was held. The hall was full of guests!  About 40 readers from primary school age to college students took part in the celebration dedicated to autumn poetry. Children born far from Russia recited poems by great Russian poets: Pushkin, Maikov, Pleshcheyev, Fet, Bunin. Students of the Cyril and Methodius High School also delighted the audience with singing and playing the piano! A significant part of the holiday was dedicated to the 180th anniversary of the birth of Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev, the author of many wonderful works, poet, writer, propagandist of Russian literature and drama abroad. The CRA youth group recited Turgenev’s poems in prose, which sounded like a mandate to the younger generation: Take care of the Russian language, our beautiful Russian language is a treasure, it is an inheritance handed down to us by our predecessors!” At the end of the holiday, the children were presented with certificates and gifts by CRA representative, Zhanna Wilson. We hope that our meetings will become a wonderful tradition that supports and strengthens Russian culture away from Russia!

Anniversary Gala Celebration, Friday, September 22, 2023
at the Russian Center (national headquarters of CRA)
2460 Sutter Street, San Francisco
4:00 pm – Doors open to guests for viewing of exhibits and silent auction bidding
5:00 pm – Presentations of CRA history, humanitarian aid programs & projects
and Hall of Fame Inductions
6:00 pm – Continue bidding on silent auction & viewing of exhibits
including Fort Elizabeth, 100 year Great Exodus, Admiral Stark evacuation and
Tubabao refugee camp with some newly acquired documents
7:00 pm to 11:00pm – Gala Banquet with bountiful buffet dinner Concert and dancing to live music of Goga Engurasoff

To attend the 50th anniversary purchase online at https://bit.ly/445F66F
by September 15, 2023
Dress Code: Semi-formal
For additional information email: CRA50Gala@gmail.com
Discounted parking available across the street
For airline & hotel reservations, please contact Andrey@Russian Connections at andrey@russianconnections.com or tel. or text
1-415-779-4728
Proceeds & donations will go to youth educational & children’s programs,
humanitarian aid and families in crisis support in US, Russia & Ukraine
and to our member organizations who support these projects.
Thank you for your support and participation.
We look forward to seeing you at our 50th Anniversary Celebration.