The History, Culture, and Language of the Jews of Bulgaria

Bulgaria, which has been home to Jewish communities since at least the 3rd century CE, gained a large Jewish population only when, after 1492, Jews expelled from Spain settled there, bringing their language and customs with them. During World War II, despite the fact that Bulgaria allied itself with Germany, the overwhelming majority of Bulgarian Jews survived, migrating to Israel en masse after 1948. Marcel Israel discusses both the history of Bulgaria’s Jews and the current state of Jewish life there. (Interview by Linda Jiménez; audio, 18 minutes).

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More about: Bulgaria, East European Jewry, History & Ideas, Holocaust, Ladino, Romaniote Jewry, Sephardim, Spanish Expulsion

A Jewish Obligation to Vote

On October 3, 1984, Rabbi Moses Feinstein—a leading figure among American Orthodox Jews, whose halakhic opinions are obeyed and studied today—wrote a letter encouraging Jews to vote in the upcoming elections. Feinstein, a talmudist of the old school, was born in a shtetl in the vicinity of Minsk, then in the Russian empire, before elections were known in that country. He came to the U.S. in 1937, at the age of forty-one, to escape the ever-worsening persecution of devout Jews in the Soviet Union. That experience no doubt shaped his view of democracy. Herewith, the letter in full:

On reaching the shores of the United States, Jews found a safe haven. The rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights have allowed us the freedom to practice our religion without interference and to live in this republic in safety.

A fundamental principle of Judaism is hakaras hatov—recognizing benefits afforded us and giving expression to our appreciation. Therefore, it is incumbent upon each Jewish citizen to participate in the democratic system which safeguards the freedoms we enjoy. The most fundamental responsibility incumbent on each individual is to register and to vote.

Therefore, I urge all members of the Jewish community to fulfill their obligations by registering as soon as possible and by voting. By this, we can express our appreciation and contribute to the continued security of our community.

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More about: 2024 Election, American Jewry, Democracy, Halakhah