Editing The Collapse of The Soviet Union (section)

== The Rebbe's Shluchim in the Soviet Union-Commonwealth of Independent States ==

==== Ezras Achim ====
When the processes to weaken the Communist regime in the Soviet Union began, the Ezras Achim organization, headed by Rabbi Moshe Slonim, organized the dispatch of many of the Rebbe's shluchim, young married men and Tmimim, to cities in the Soviet Union. During that period, Ezras Achim arranged for permanent shluchim who began reviving Yiddishkeit, each in his city. Among the permanent shluchim:

* Moscow - Rabbi Berel Lazar
* Moscow - Rabbi Moshe Chaim Levin
* Riga - Rabbi Notke Barkahan
* Berdichev - Rabbi Shmuel Plotkin
* Leningrad (Petersburg) - Rabbi Yosef Yisroel Grozman, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Pevzner (Petersburg)
* Dnepropetrovsk - Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki
* Kharkov - Rabbi Moshe Moskovitz
* Tashkent - Rabbi Abba Dovid Gurevitch
* Kiev - Rabbi Dober Krasik
* Kishinev - Rabbi Zalman Abelsky
* Minsk - Rabbi Yosef Yisroel Grozman
* Alma Ata - Rabbi Yeshaya Elazar Cohen

In winter 5752 (1991-92), the Communist regime finally collapsed, and in place of the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States was established, uniting most of the Soviet Union countries. In 5753 (1993), the Ezras Achim organization experienced financial difficulties and struggled to transfer budgets to the shluchim.

==== Ohr Avner ====
In summer 5753 (1993), the Rebbe's shluchim in the Commonwealth of Independent States, together with philanthropist Lev Leviev, initiated the establishment of the Ohr Avner organization to support and organize the shluchim in place of Ezras Achim.

Initially, the management role was offered to Rabbi Shalom Dovber Levin, who was then in Russia as part of his responsibilities with Agudas Chassidei Chabad in the Commonwealth of Independent States.

In practice, it was decided that the shluchim in the Commonwealth would manage the organization. Rabbi Berel Lazar manages Ohr Avner, with Rabbi Dovid Mondshine as CEO.

==== Chamah ====
During the period of the Soviet Union's dissolution, the CHAMAH organization operated in parallel with Ezras Achim and Ohr Avner. Shluchim were sent by them, institutions were established, and many activities were carried out in spreading Yiddishkeit and Chassidus.

CHAMAH's current activities in the Commonwealth of Independent States:

* '''Therapeutic school''' for special children with various levels of autism, whose parents cannot afford tuition for similar government institutions that are not in the spirit of Yiddishkeit.
* '''Soup kitchen'''
* '''Medical center'''
* '''Social assistance and care''' for thousands of elderly Jews struggling alone.
* '''Distribution of food packages''' to many hundreds of needy families, especially to the elderly.
* '''2 active synagogues''' with shiurim, prayers, and Jewish events in different areas of Moscow.