Emergency workers at the site of a February 12 plane crash outside Moscow. Image by Getty

(JTA) — A Jewish woman and her daughter who had tickets for an internal flight that crashed near Moscow skipped it to extend their participation in a Jewish studies course, they said.

Taliya Samanina and her eldest daughter Malka were scheduled to return Sunday from the Russian capital to their home city of Orsk aboard Saratov Airlines’ flight 6W703, which crashed shortly after taking off, killing all 71 passengers and crew members, the Col website reported.

They had come to Moscow from Orsk, located about 1,000 miles east of the capital, over the weekend to attend a seminar on Jewish studies organized by the Yachad organization and the Chaya Mushka Institute, both belonging to the framework of the Chabad-affiliated Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Rabbi Mendy Wilansky, head of the Yachad special programs platform, asked the women to stay the entire weekend so they could participate in a guided tour of the Moscow Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center, that was built in 2012. The women agreed and Wilansky’s office made the necessary changes to their travel itinerary, the report said.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount