well, not quite. The history of the Jews in Russia really starts in the 1700s when Tsarist Russia tore apart the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth and swallowed most of it whole Not to bring up the Khazar theory, but the history of Jews in Russia precedes the Kievan Rus and Muscovy.
The PLC was home to 60% of world Jewry and Jews were free to not only practice but expand their religion -- this was where Chassidism originated and also devout "Lithuanian Jews" or Litvaks Chassidism was created in Haliz/Galicia, which was part of the PLC.
Some of the best thinkers were of these -- including Tolstoy
Count Tolstoy was not Jewish. He was a boyar, Russian nobility by birth.
You are thinking of Lev Bernstien, AKA Trotsky.
13 posted on
05/15/2013 10:12:34 AM PDT by
rmlew
("Mosques are our barracks, minarets our bayonets, domes our helmets, the believers our soldiers.")
you're right about Tolstoy/Trotsky -- darn, always mix up the names
Chassidism was created in halicz which was in the commonwealth you are correct