Yitzchok Kogan

Yitzchok Kogan is an Orthodox rabbi affiliated with the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement. He serves in Moscow, Russia where he is the rabbi of the Bolshaya Bronnaya Synagogue and a member of the Agudas Chasidei Chabad of Russia.
Education
State Engineering University of Leningrad (St. Petersburg). He later became a nuclear submarines engineer in the former Soviet Union.
Refusnik
In 1974 he applied to the Soviet authority's to make Aliyah to Israel which was uniquely hard because of his sensitive job as nuclear submarines engineer. Kogan was dismissed from his position because of his application for a visa to Israel. His wife, Sophia of blessed memory (1944- September 8, 2009), a prominent dentist heading a department at a large hospital, was also dismissed.
While living in Saint Petersburg, Kogan looked for ways to help the budding Orthodox Jewish community in Leningrad. Seeing the need for a shochet (ritual slaughterer), learned the intricate laws and detailed skills necessary for that profession. The Kogan home was always full of young people interested in finding out more about their Jewish heritage. Often, the Kogan's introduced single men and women who later married. Their involvement didn't stop at mere introductions. The weddings were often held at the Kogan home, with their three daughters helping prepare a feast for 80-100 people. It was during this era that Yitzchok became known as "the Tzadik of Leningrad".
In 1988 his family won their battle to emigrate to Israel to live a Jewish life. After living for one year in Israel they were sent back to Russia by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, to help support the development of Jewish life after the fall of the iron curtain.
Recent activity
Kogan serves as the rabbi of the Bolshaya Bronnaya Synagogue in Moscow, and on the board of Agudas Chasidei Chabad of Russia. He is active in efforts to help return the "Schneerson Collection" - the library of the Chabad movement stranded in Russia.

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