News & Views

RJD News

Paying homage to the women who served in the Great Patriotic War
This year, Mother's Day brings added meaning to the Russian-speaking community in Chicago because it coincides with the annual Victory Day celebration.

Returning to Russian Family Retreat, 33 years later
For Gene Eydelman, a young father, it wasn't the first time at Perlstein. Eydelman and his family participated at the first Russian Family Weekend in 1982

World War II veterans, local leaders share lessons learned at 70th Victory Day commemoration.
On May 8, the 70th anniversary of Victory Day, 400 people packed the Illinois Holocaust Museum to honor Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans.

70th Victory Day in Chicago in ABC news

‘Through Soviet Jewish Eyes’
The Soviet Jewish photographers are among the war's unsung heroes; they were documenting Nazi atrocity sites three years before better known Western photographers like Lee Miller landed in Germany.

One big Jewish family: The 10th Russian Shabbaton
The prayers, dancing and singing made participants feel like a part of something greater; it made them realize that they have a community which welcomes them and into which they fit with ease.

Jukebox Groove Project gives new life to classic Jewish tunes
The works of famous Jewish composers have inspired the birth of a new tune and music video that will travel the North Shore as a concert and a presentation.

Turik twins give back by sponsoring Russian Shabbaton
This year’s event, which might not have gone forward had the Turik brothers not stepped up.

Yefim Rudminsky: A Ukrainian Jewish Heart
When it comes to understanding the former Soviet Union, and the Jewish experience there, art provides a unique window.

Russian-speaking young families attend first ever retreat
Fifteen young families gathered to enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings and connect with their heritage.

World War II veterans from former Soviet Union celebrate Victory Day
This year, the Victory Day celebration became part of L'Dor V'Dor - from Generation to Generation - a volunteer project by the Russian Jewish Division of JUF.

Russia’s Jews help Chicago’s Russian Jews
The Genesis Philanthropy Group awarded a $50,000 grant to JUF's Russian Jewish Division in late 2012.

JUF News : Russian Chanukah celebration for the youngest
More than a 100 Russian-speaking community members gathered for a Chanukah Celebration.

Rosh Hashanah for Russians: a great time
More than a 100 Russian and non-Russian speaking community members gathered for a Rosh Hashanah dinner.

Holocaust Victim Commemoration - Presentation of the Album "Drobitsky Yar" (Reklama Media)

Bridging the gap: How Genia Kovelman is uniting Russian-speaking Jews and the greater Jewish community
Kovelman discusses her path to Jewish communal work and why is she so passionate about her work with the Russian-Jewish community.

BBQ celebrating Israel @ 64 (in Russian)
More than 130 Russian-speaking young adults come to celebrate Israel.

Russian Jewish Networking Night a hit for young professionals
Close to 100 Russian-speaking Jewish young professionals were in attendance.
Also available in Russian.

Russian-speaking students find their I in Israel
Participate in the 9th Annual Midwest Russian Shabbaton.

Building a life - and Jewish community - together: a Russian Hillel Love story.
Russian Hillel wasn't just a place to meet new friends for Alexey and Lia.

Russian Jews in the Media

Evanston resident Alex Turik wins prestigious JUF award
"Most of us left the Soviet Union with nothing," said Turik. "Now is our turn, our responsibility, our privilege to give back to the community that gave so much to us. Tonight, we show our gratitude for living in a time and place where there are few limits to how much we can achieve."

Wheeling resident Genia Kovelman wins prestigious JUF award
Wheeling resident Genia Kovelman, founding director of RJD, who was honored for serving the Russian-speaking Jewish community with passion and purpose.

25 years later, Russian speakers still the ‘other’ in Israel, says MK
A recent CBS report said that 72% of FSU immigrants say that their friend group is composed predominantly of other Russian speakers. 67% of FSU immigrants feel Israelis view them as the “other” — as “Russians,” not Israelis.

What We Can Learn From Russian-Speaking Jews Here
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Soviet Union's collapse, an event that opened a new chapter in world history and in Jewish history, too.

Russia's second wealthiest man Mikhail Fridman plans leaving $14.2bn fortune to charity
Russia's second wealthiest man, Mikhail Fridman, has said that he will leave his $14.2bn (£9.8bn, €12.6bn) fortune to charity.

It's Time to Stop Patronizing Russian Jews
Instead of 'let my people go' it's time to treat Russian Jews like equals and let them grow.

Are Jewish Nonprofits Finally Learning to Speak Russian?
What differentiates Russian Jews from their American brethren - religion, connection to Israel, language, culture?

Moishe House Hosts First Russian Speaking Jewish Learning Retreat
Our shared heritage, our common struggle, and the ability to connect culturally and linguistically through Russian. While each of our childhoods differed depending on whether you grew up in Almaty, Moscow, or immigrated to New York, common language has and continues to bind us literally and figuratively.

 

Victory Day over the Nazis is still alive and personal for NY’s Russian Jews
Our American friends don’t understand that we grew up in the shadow of War, the only War that ever was.

Russian Jewish American Lit Goes Boom!
New novels in English by Soviet émigrés navigate the line between immigrant memoir and true fiction

Russian Jewish group worried over anti-Semitism in Ukraine
A prominent Russian Jewish organization expressed concern over anti-Semitism in Ukraine.

When My Baby Says Her First Word, Will It Be in English or in Russian?
As a Soviet Jewish émigré, I broke all ties to Russia and its language—or so I thought, until my daughter was born.

Ukraine's Jewish Community at a Time of Need
How JUF and partners are helping

The Things Refuseniks Carried Out of the Soviet Union
On the 26th anniversary of Freedom Sunday, a photographer uses objects to look at the immigrant experience

Jews in the Former Soviet Union Embrace Jewish Identity
People are attracted when they are given the freedom to choose, when they are not put into the rigid frameworks, and those are the basic principles of informal education.

FSU Jewish Identity Revival Fostered by Informal Education Network
A network of informal educational organizations has been developing to meet the needs of these newly interested FSU Jews.

Birthright in reverse: 'Are you Israeli, or are you Russian?'
Young Israeli adults are finding their Jewish roots in the former Soviet Union countries that their parents left behind.

The Refusenik That Wasn’t
My parents fled the culture of the USSR. So why am I drawn to it?

The New Machers: Émigrés Translate Success Into Jewish Leadership Roles
Though no one knows to what degree succeeding generations will lose touch with their roots, Russian-speaking Jews today have a strong affiliation with the language and culture of their homeland.

Taglit Russia 2013 - Video
On August 6, 2013, at Tel Aviv University, more than 1,000 Russian speaking Taglit-Birthright Israel participants and 200 Israeli alumni came together for the summer “Mega” event and education fair.

Birobidzhan Bar and Bat Mitzvahs Create Community and Leaders
About 5,000 miles east of Moscow, in a remote part of Siberia once designated by Joseph Stalin as a new home for Russia’s Jews, 29 young people celebrated their bar and bat mitzvahs last month during a JDC-supported family retreat.

Russian-speaking Jewish Community Profile of the Jewish Community Study of NY 2011
Intermarriage rates are lower among Russian-speaking households, roughly half the rate for non-RSJ households.

Creating Community in Kiev
Article by Moishe House Kiev resident highlighting what Moishe House has brought to her community!

Russian-American Jews reconnect with the motherland, in New Jersey.
Second-generation Russian-Jewish immigrants find common ground and plenty of reasons to sing.

Limmud FSU US: An Immigrant Community Comes Into Its Own
With 750 attendees and 50+ sessions in English and Russian, Limmud FSU in Princeton last weekend was a huge success.

The Community We Build Together
Senior professionals from nonprofit Jewish world came together to understand the unique needs and interests of the RSJ community in North America.

Why my friends are leaving Israel
I miss my friends very much. It's not what you think - they are all healthy and doing great. But they had to leave Israel.

On Multiple Fronts, Russian Jews Reshape Israel - NPR
More than 20 years have elapsed since the Soviet Union fell apart, prompting a tsunami of people, mostly with Jewish roots, to leave for Israel.

Remembering "Freedom Sunday"
The March on Washington to Free Soviet Jewry Watch video

Op-Ed: Celebrate and learn from the Soviet Jewry movement
On Dec. 6, 1987 more than a quarter-million American Jews gathered on the National Mall with a single unified message as old as the Exodus story: "Let our people go!"

Russian Heritage, Jewish Soul, American Future
Who are Russian-speaking Jews? Why are they important to the Jewish community?

New Generation Of Russians Now Making Its Mark | The Jewish Week
Young Russian speakers carve out their own niche, distinct from the broader N.Y. Jewish community.

Russian American Jews: A Bright Spot for Jewish Peoplehood
When it comes to Jewish population studies, we are conditioned to expect reports of doom and gloom.

New $1 million 'Jewish Nobel Prize' established
The establishment of the Genesis Prize, which is being touted as a "Jewish Nobel Prize" and worth $1 million, was announced.

Limmud FSU Princeton: Priceless
Princeton University is considered one of the leading universities not only in the United States but throughout the world.

The Wandering Chicagoans | JUF News
There is a new generation of wandering Jews. We are the child immigrants who came to the U.S. from the Soviet Union during Operation Exodus.

Op-Ed: Put Russian-speaking Jews on the community's radar | JTA - Jewish & Israel News
A strong Jewish future requires that Russian-speaking Jews play a significant role, writes the president of the Jewish Agency for Israel.

1000 Gather in Moscow for Limmud FSU
Moscow's seventh Limmud FSU conference for Russian-speaking Jews opens today at the Klyazma retreat center near Moscow.

For a century, HIAS Chicago has helped immigrants find freedom in America: Here are a few of their stories... | JUF News
Nearly every week, Suzanne Franklin and her grandmother, an immigrant from Romania who lived with her family, would make rugelach cookies together.

Historic campaign to rescue, resettle Soviet Jews celebrates 20 years | JUF News
The exodus of Jews that began in 1989 would ultimately add about 2 million Jews to communities throughout the world.