Jews Who Fled the Soviet Union Return to Russia

FJC.ru ^ | May 20, 2005 | Michael Mainville

[Alouette]

MOSCOW, Russia - When she fled the Soviet Union for Israel with her family as a teenager, the last place Irina Azanyan expected to end up 15 years later was in Moscow.

"My parents were desperate to get away, and we went as soon as we could," she said. "I loved Israel, even before I'd ever been there. I don't know why, maybe it was in my genes."

Yet here she sits in her fifth-floor office at the Moscow Jewish Community Center, alternating effortlessly between Russian and Hebrew as she fields calls for Russia's chief rabbi, Berl Lazar. The chorus of a group of pensioners studying Hebrew emanates from a nearby classroom as bearded young men in broad brimmed black hats stroll the halls with books tucked under their arms.

Ms. Azanyan and her family fled the Soviet regime at the tail end of a massive wave of emigration that saw about 1 million Soviet Jews settle in Israel by the mid-1990s. But now she is among the estimated 100,000 who have come back - the strongest sign yet of a startling revival of Jewish life in a country that has one of the worst records of Jewish persecution in history.

"It's absolutely extraordinary how many people are returning," said Rabbi Lazar, who has been Russia's chief rabbi since 2000. "When they left, there was no community, no Jewish life. People felt that being Jewish was a historical mistake that happened to their family. Now they know they can live in Russia as part of a community."

[Alouette]

FRmail me to be added or removed from this Judaic/pro-Israel ping list.

[M. Espinola]

"Jews Who Fled the Soviet Union Return to Russia"

In the future this will prove to be a very unwise decision. At least in Israel one's fellow Israeli citizens are not persecuted for being Jewish.

In the 'former' Soviet Union viscous acts of scurrilous anti-Semitism is elevating to alarming levels. Shuls are being burned to the ground, while Jewish grave yards are vandalized regularly. Anti-Jewish marches are held by Russian neo-nazi types.

[.cnI redruM]

As long as Vladamir Zhiranovsky remains the Pat Buchanan of Russia, rather than a legitimate, serious political figure, they'll probably be OK.

[Clemenza]

Interesting. Now what can we do with the trailer trash, non-Jews from the FSU who seem to have invaded Brooklyn since the early 1990s?

I wish these returnees the best of luck, but should inform them that the business climate in the US is better than that of Russia.

[Zionist Conspirator]

"It's absolutely extraordinary how many people are returning," said Rabbi Lazar, who has been Russia's chief rabbi since 2000. "When they left, there was no community, no Jewish life. People felt that being Jewish was a historical mistake that happened to their family. Now they know they can live in Russia as part of a community."

Er . . . um . . . uh . . . shouldn't Jews be going to Israel instead of leaving it???

[sheik yerbouty]

My grandparents left there and never once looked back.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[Neocon Shavuz]

A couple of thoughts:
That comes from website of organization that is kissing up to Putin and plays along in his PR campaign to present him as tolerant toward Jews. Besides, being organization of Russia's Jews it happy to promote the returning to Russia Jews as it's own constituency.
Russian Jews, especially of old generation, have quite high level of acceptance for eternal Russian antisemitism. The old man that is happy to stay alive serves as a good example. As for Russians, the antisemitism is historically one of the main components of their national character. Like alcoholism or corruption.

[Alouette]

That comes from website of organization that is kissing up to Putin and plays along in his PR campaign to present him as tolerant toward Jews.

A close family member lives in Moscow and works for this organization. Are you suggesting that he is part of a huge scam?

[M. Espinola]

..."Zhiranovsky & Buchanan.."

Good point lol.

[Reborn]

Er . . . um . . . uh . . . shouldn't Jews be going to Israel instead of leaving it???

Well, what choice do ya have when ol' Arik Peres is forcing you outta your house?

[Neocon Shavuz]

Don't be so cocky. The "trailer trash" and "non-Jews" is not the same thing. Non-Jews have built that country and made it the best in the world. I hate to point that out but Jews are leaving Israel for the good reasons.

[Neocon Shavuz]

No. I am not suggesting that. It's not a scam. It's life in Russia. If tomorrow Putin would be involved in public activities against Jews, that organization won't complain. Hordokovskij's case has made everybody loyal.

[PAR35]

At least in Israel one's fellow Israeli citizens are not persecuted for being Jewish.

Particularly by those nice Muslim Palistinians who live just down the road? There are worse things than having someone splash paint in a graveyard. Like blown up school buses.

[GSlob]

Well, I left there myself and could look back on it only as on the jail I was lucky to get out of. There are specific terms "sovok" and "homosos" {derived from "homo sovieticus", but with additional connotation in the vocally stressed "sos" part - it connotes with "sosat'"- to suck, thus "homosuckers") to desribe the mentality of at least some returnees.

[M. Espinola]

"Particularly by those nice Muslim Palistinians who live just down the road?"

That's why the Israeli national security barriers were & are being constructed. To keep out the demented jihadist types who are not Israeli and never will be.

Jordanian is what their passports should read.

In the case of Hamas, they should be deported to Iran, since the mullahs foot the terrorism training bills, and arm them to the teeth.

[PAR35]

That's why the Israeli national security barriers were & are being constructed.

About the smartest thing that they have done. Draw a line, build a wall. Anyone who wants to live outside the wall should do it at their own risk.

The US should do the same along its southern border.

[M. Espinola]

"The US should do the same along its southern border."

Since nothing is apparently functioning, I agree.

[jb6]

Shuls are being burned to the ground, while Jewish grave yards are vandalized regularly.

One incident of both this year and you make it "regularly"? Hardly.