The russian jews did not have the "luxury" in russia of refusing pork.. It was often the only meat available... ( There may have been other kosher items as well, the meat thing was the one that stuck out..)
When they immigrated to Israel, they continued to eat as they had in russia, and came up against jews who objected to their not observing kosher diets..
They tried to shut down the non-kosher shops that catered to the russian jews..
As I understand it, this was one of the reasons for some russian jews returning to russia..
Any input, personal experiences you can share along those lines?
"I read somewhere that one of the sore points between russian jews and many others in Israel was adherence to dietary standards.. As I understand it, this was one of the reasons for some russian jews returning to russia.."That alone it is merely one of the points, but not one of the main factors. If that was the only thing, it could easily be overcome - from what I understand Israel is diverse enough and you can very well lead a secular life if you do not choose to specifically reside in an Orthodox community, a settlement, etc. Around Tel Aviv you could order a cheesuburger on shabbot, if you want to and no one will stop you. Actually I agree with Post #27 pretty much 100%. Very well put. For many Soviet Jewish "repatriants" its actually the combination of basic insecurity - neverending intifada (the recent shelling from Lebanon was, I hear, the last straw for quite a few) and overall not as promising economic future for the younger generation, who realize the career prospects in the "quasi-capitalist" as Basheva put it, Israel, are fewer and worse then in EU, nevermind US or Canada - or for a few years now, even back in Russia (Moscow area specifically), due to the oil economy boom that Putin's regime is reaping. Also, most people who left in droves the in the very late 80s - early 90s, right before or right after USSR collapsed had a very different kind of motivation versus the fewer people, who managed to leave in the 70s, early 80s - after Brezhnev allowed Soviet Jews to emigrate from the USSR for the first time. The 70s emigration wave consisted mostly of people who actually wanted to embrace their Jewish identity, being unable to freely do so in the Soviet Union and live in a Jewish state. In order to be allowed to emigrate they had to step up to and face intimidation from the Soviet system, becoming "refuseniks" (being fired and/or blacklisted for employment) and being subjected to every possible kind of bureaucratic and social humiliation and intimidation (for example in the 70's kids of the would-be emigrants to Israel would often have to quit school as soon as their parents made their decision known, because otherwise they would be teased and openly intimidated in the classroom by the teacher, or by their classmates - who were secretly encouraged by the teacher and by their own parents. Traditional grass-roots antisemitism in Ukraine and Russia, which is at times like a smouldering grassfier, complimented government propaganda. In the classroom the other kids would be calling them names, "traitors" etc. Making their schooldays unbearable.) The majority of the Soviet Jews who were leaving at the end of perestroika and following the Soviet collapse left mainly for the economic reasons and fears that a total collapse would soon follow with either a bloody warlord anarchy (a.k.a Somalia), or that a fascist state much worse than USSR would emerge from the ruins (at that time newly found freedom of the press allowed multiple ultra-nationalist and hate literature to be openly published and circulated). I remember in the early 90s in Kiev, where we lived, there were periodically circulated wild rumors about impeding pogroms, etc. - which thankfully did not materialize (but caused my family a few slepless nights, dad keeping watch at the door with a shovel as a makeshift weapon.) I know it sounds outrageous and funny, but back then it wasn't. At that time my parents were more afraid for their and my own future, than under authoritarian, but predictable and stable Brezhnev time. That was a simple truth in the hearts of many - better a familiar evil, which might even seem like a blessing by comparison to some evil unknown. I take it, that many who left in the late 80s - early 90s, might not have even moved a hair, had things not changed from 1979, or had USSR gone the route of China and preserved the Communist party hierarchy and structure of the society, while allowing the economy to liberalize. Also, people who left in the 70s were literally leaving it all behind. Sometimes they would not even call back to the family that remained (all the international phone calls were of course monitored) - or the remaining members of the family would break contact for fear of being punished by the authorities, losing work, being reprimanded in front of a party committee, etc. Same with international mail - it was slow, monitored and unreliable. There were restrictions on how much luggage/valuables one could take with them - some literally left with nothing but clothes on their backs. Now, people who left in the late 80s/early 90s brought all kinds of mental and "emotional" luggage with them, not just a few suitcases of personal effects. They brought with them the Russian culture that most of them were reared in, sentimental attachment to food/books/music/movies they grew up with, etc. etc. During the times of the Iron Curtain if you left USSR, there would be no information channels to connect back to what you left even if you wanted to. With no "feed lines" going back any immigrant had no choice but to slowly integrate into the new society, maybe passing through a "ghetto/enclave" stage versus living in a primarily Russian-speaking ghetto/enclave. In the 90s there appeared Russian television in Israel - channels made by the immigrants, for the immigrants, as well as Russian channels from Russia. Imported books, movies on tape and later DVD - it all became available for those who did not wish to break ties with the old culture completely. The people who were leaving at the end of perestroika and after were not "coming to Israel", they were leaving a failed state - I don't know if you can grasp the philosophical difference, but here it is. This does not encompass all of the differences between the two generations of immigrants, but you see some of the key ones.