Please visit the CRA table from 11 am to 7 pm during the two days of Slavic festival in San Francisco.

Another wonderful tradition continues at the Transfiguration Cathedral parish school in Los Angeles!
Members of the Congress of Russian Americans Los Angeles Chapter hosted our annual class “Learn the History of Your Compatriots in the U.S.”

The senior students, together with parents and teachers, visited the museum at Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral. Father Nazariy welcomed everyone, offered a beautiful tour of the church, and shared its history and sacred treasures.

In the museum, the students learned about Igor Sikorsky, his family connection to Bishop Anthony of Los Angeles, and Sergei Rachmaninoff, who knew both. The kids truly impresd us — attentive, curious, and not a single phone in sight!

Our group included students from Ukraine, Russia, and Uzbekistan, united by friendship and interest in shared heritage.
We explored genealogy, family roots, and the inspiring examples of Sikorsky, Rachmaninoff, and Bishop Anthony, who helped people across the world.

May this spark pride in their heritage — and a desire to follow in the footsteps of these remarkable figures. Students were reminded about the CRA scholarship opportunities and were encouraged to join the Congress of Russian Americans and become supporters.

Join CRA Los Angeles Chapter and the Russophone LA Research Collective for a special memorial and presentation marking 100 years of the Russian WWI Veterans’ Society (later the Memorial Society in Memory of WWI Veterans).
We begin with a memorial service at the Veterans’ Monument (1:00 PM), followed by a presentation by Evgeny (Zhenya) Noskov tracing the Society’s origins, key figures, and legacy in Southern California. Drawing on archival records and family recollections, Noskov highlights how generations of émigrés preserved remembrance and community.

Los Angeles CRA Chapter co hosting an event with Russophone Los Angeles Research Collective.

Discover the Story of the Balalaika in Hollywood .

Come join us on a fascinating journey into the world of the balalaika — from its first notes in early 20th-century Los Angeles to its place in today’s cultural life.

This engaging presentation will take you through: Hollywood’s movie industry and celebrities who embraced the instrument, the balalaika’s role in the restaurant and entertainment scene in Hollywood, Its importance in Russian culture and youth organizations, preserving tradition and identity, and of course, the remarkable people behind this century-long adventure.

Whether you love music, history, or Russian culture, this is your chance to experience the balalaika’s unique voice in shaping Hollywood’s cultural landscape.

On June 15, 2025, Los Angeles hosted the Centennial Celebration of the founding of the first Russian Orthodox parish in Southern California — the Holy Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Orthodox Church in America.

The parish officially began its history in 1923. Due to several factors — including the COVID pandemic and construction — the celebration was postponed until 2025.

The parish has a rich history shaped by its parishioners, who contributed to the daily life of Los Angeles and the broader United States across many fields: architecture, engineering, construction, film, art, music, politics, education, and the armed forces.

Congratulatory messages were received by the rector, Father Nazari, and the parish from:

• His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America,
• Archbishop Benjamin of the Diocese of the West,
• Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass, who sent greetings on behalf of herself and the residents of Los Angeles,
• California State Senator Maria Elena Durazo,
• Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis.

Ivan Podvalov, representative of the Congress of Russian Americans in Los Angeles, was among several community members recognized with a Certificate of Appreciation from Archbishop Benjamin of San Francisco and the West, for his contribution to the celebration.

The festivities gathered nearly 500 guests and parishioners, and included a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy followed by a banquet, during which official greetings were read, including a message from the President of the Congress of Russian Americans.

The Congress of Russian Americans also contributed to the centennial by supporting the creation of a 30-minute documentary film dedicated to the parish’s 100-year history.

On Saturday, June 7, a representative of the Congress of Russian Americans in Los Angeles brought a group of Russophone youth – young men and women, their parents and several members of the Russian Children’s Aid Society of Los Angeles to volunteer at the Special Olympics which took place in the city of Long Beach in Southern California.

From June 6-8, hundreds of local Special Olympics athletes competed for top honors, medals and ribbons in athletics, including track & field, basketball, swimming and other sports.  

Volunteers made every aspect of the day meaningful and special, from helping on the sidelines, greeting guests or cheering on the incredible athletes, to insure that the event run smoothly and be as joyful as possible for every participant.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us and responded to the call — and of course, to the organizers for inviting us and welcoming us so warmly!

Sunday, April 27, 2025 – Radonitza Panihida at Serbian Cemetery in Colma

The annual Kazachi-Radonitza Commemorative Panihida, (Father George Kaplanov -presiding) will be held on Sunday April 27, 2025 1:30 PM at the Cossacks Monument (south/right side of the Serbian Cemetery, Colma, CA with potluck pominki at the Cossack tent. 

If you would like to commemorate your loved ones there, please send a list of names (10) maximum no later than April 24th to:

All Cossacks Union of San Francisco

C/O Oleg Bolshakoff

110 Middlefied Dr.

San Francisco, CA 94132Commemorative Donations are always welcome!

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.   You are invited to a presentation by CRA Director, Ivan Podvalov, who is spearheading the CRA project on Russian Americans in the US Military, please see here(https://russian-americans.org/75-years-end-of-wwii-and-45-years-end-of-vietnam-war.)  Learn about two stories unfolding at opposite ends of the world – one about Russian Americans and their contribution to achieving that victory, and the other about the fate of the Russian Pesniarsky family (specificaly, Igor Pesniarsky, nephew of Colonel Lektorskiy).  The presentation is based on the family archives of the Pesniarskys, who ended up in Los Angeles and entrusted their archives to the Museum of Russian Culture in San Francisco.