St. Petersburg to Host Israel Day Tomorrow

An Israel Day is to be held in St. Petersburg tomorrow. According to the city's Committee for Foreign Ties, the event is expected to begin at 14.00 in the Great Choral Synagogue. Israeli Minister for Jerusalem Nathan Sharansky is heading a delegation coming to St. Petersburg to mark the event.

Jerusalem City Council and the Jerusalem Foundation are to present St. Petersburg with a sculpture called 'Lion' - the symbol of Jerusalem - as a 300th anniversary gift. The piece has been made by Ruslan Sergeev, a sculptor and designer who moved from Minsk to Israel in 1992 and who is now one of the country's leading sculptors. 'Lion' is a mosaic created from materials including stained glass, mirrored glass and stainless steel. Israel will also give St. Petersburg a series of five paintings by well-known Israeli artist Mikhail Khazin.

The ceremonial presentation of the gifts will take place tomorrow in the Russian Ethnographic Museum, where they will also be held in the future. The event's closing ceremony will take place at the Mariinsky Theatre, where the Israeli State Philharmonic Orchestra will give a concert conducted by Zubin Meta.