In a wave of coordinated attacks targeting various sites in Russia's Dagestan region, terrorists killed guards and set fire to the historic Derbent Synagogue, reducing its newly renovated interior to ashes. On Sunday evening, assailants launched violent assaults on Jewish and other religious sites in the capital city of Makhachkala, as well as in Derbent, the second-largest city in the region.

With more than a century of service to the local Jewish community, the Derbent Synagogue had previously survived destruction and had been rebuilt over time. However, assailants shot at the synagogue and then set it ablaze at approximately 6 p.m. Local citizens reported sighting smoke from miles away. Tragically, the guards protecting the synagogue lost their lives in the attack.

Videos of the incidents showed gunmen clad in black indiscriminately firing automatic assault weapons and handguns. Authorities suspect that the attacks were carried out by Islamic terrorists affiliated with ISIS. Another synagogue in Makhachkala was also targeted by the assailants, resulting in the death of one guard. Fortunately, no members of the small Jewish communities in either city were among the casualties.

Rabbi Berel Lazar, the Chief Rabbi of Russia, emphasized that faith in G-d is a cornerstone of all religions, and violence goes against the core principles of religious belief. He condemned the attackers' actions as destructive and rooted in hatred.

The Derbent Synagogue, originally constructed in 1914, was one of many such synagogues in the city at that time. However, it was the only one remaining after the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1991. Extensive renovations were carried out, and the synagogue was rededicated in 2010 in the presence of Rabbi Lazar and the local Jewish community, as well as Dagestan's then-president.

The Jewish community in this region has faced numerous challenges since the fall of the Iron Curtain. During the Soviet era, Dagestan was home to a vibrant Jewish population that reached its peak with approximately 25,000 Jews. However, after decades of anti-religious Soviet rule, many chose to emigrate to countries like the United States and Israel.

In the late 1990s, violence erupted in the region following a Muslim rebellion that Russia suppressed. Rabbi Avrum Ilyaguev, who studied at the Chabad yeshiva in Moscow, served as the director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Dagestan from 1995 to 2004. Presently, he serves as the rabbi of the Mountain Jewish community in Moscow.

In 2004, Rabbi Ovadya and Chaya Miryam Isakov arrived in Dagestan to continue the work started by Ilyaguev. The Isakovs established essential Jewish infrastructure, including schools, synagogue services, kosher food provisions, and adult education classes. Throughout their time in Dagestan, the Isakovs faced an increase in anti-Jewish attacks, culminating in an attempted assassination of the rabbi in 2013.

Chabad of Russia continues to support and care for the Jewish community in Dagestan. Rabbi Lazar stated that despite the hatred exhibited by the attackers, the Jewish community will emerge stronger. He emphasized the need to foster relationships among all religions and to rebuild, spreading goodness, peace, and brotherhood in the world.

The attack on the Derbent Synagogue has been a harsh reminder of the ongoing struggle faced by the shrinking Jewish community in Dagestan. As investigations progress, authorities are working to bring the perpetrators of this heinous act of violence to justice and ensure the safety and security of all religious sites in the region.