Since the 2014 invasion of Crimea by Russian forces, thousands of Russian Jews have fled the country; many of those who remain fear for their lives. Zvika Klein reports on their situation, which has long seemed not nearly so precarious as it really is:
“The Jewish community in Russia as we knew it at the beginning of 2022 will never be the same,” said a senior leader of the Russian Jewish community this week, in a secret apartment in the center of Israel.
This leader cannot speak publicly. He literally fears for his life, since he intends to return to Russia in the future and therefore cannot speak out against the war, which he thinks is one of the most horrible acts of the 21st century.
All of the heads of Jewish communities and organizations in Russia contacted in recent weeks agree that their country is slowly returning to the historic USSR. “It’s not a big deal to close the gates of the country,” one said. “There are no flights to the West and Europe anymore, so you just need to cancel a few flights and that’s it.”
More about: Russian Jewry, War in Ukraine