A surprising discovery took place at a Jewish summer camp in Russia when children digging in the historic courtyard of the town where the Chabad movement originated uncovered a rare pocket watch and old coins.

Russia chief rabbi described the find as evidence of the triumph of the spirit.

While thousands of children across Russia spend their summer at recreational camps a group from Moscow Gan Israel camp had an extraordinary experience this week.

During an educational visit to Lyubavichi the birthplace of the Chabad Hasidic movement the children joined an archaeological preservation project in the historic courtyard where the dynasty rebbes once lived and where the Tomchei Temimim yeshiva was founded.

During the dig a genuine treasure emerged: a rare luxurious pocket watch buried for decades along with old ruble coins.

The items were given to Rabbi Gabriel Gordon director of the local Chabad House for examination.

After an initial check Gordon noted that the watch high quality and detailed craftsmanship suggested it likely belonged to a member of one of the rebbes families who resided at the site.

The discovery led to an outburst of joy and spontaneous dancing among the children and staff.

From red necktie to symbol of a new generation

The moving discovery coincided with a visit by Russia chief rabbi Rabbi Berel Lazar to the main summer camp outside Moscow.

During his meeting with the children Lazar received a gift of deep symbolic meaning: an original 100-year-old red Pioneer necktie worn by youth under the communist regime when efforts were made to erase Jewish tradition.

Next to it was a green necktie the symbol of the modern Hasidic summer camp.

This opposite that the organizers said highlighting the message of the Jewish spirit triumph over past repression.

Our greatest success as a community is seeing how we care for the next generation Lazar told the campers most of whom are children of Chabad emissaries serving in remote Russian cities where they are often the only Jewish representatives.

Tradition that crosses borders

Chabad summer camp project in Russia run by hundreds of rabbis and emissaries has grown in recent years into a wide network focused on education and community building.

Beside the Moscow camp other programs run across the country including a girls camp in Nizhny directed by Rebbetzin Frady Lerman.

For the children who come from the most remote parts of the Russian Federation the experience is far more than a vacation. It offers social connection and spiritual renewal ahead of the school year.

When the children return home in several weeks they will carry not only summer camp memories but also a sense of connection to the distinguished Jewish history of the Lyubavitch family. The watch found in the ground has become the most vivid testimony to that history.