Assimilation is main problem of Jewish communities of Southern Russia

On July 27, Moscow gave a start of the Fourth Jewish Ethnographic Expedition to regions of Southern Russia. Five mobile synagogues took off along the route: Central Russia, Volga region, Southern Russia, the Urals and the Crimea.

Since 2012, the organizer of Jewish Ethnographic Expeditions is the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia (FJCR), Alexander Boroda, the President of the FJCR, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The President has noted that the Jewish communities in Southern Russia face the same problems as all over the country.

"The main problem in all regions is one and the same – assimilation of younger generation in Jewish families, and the loss of Jewish identity. This happens, when youth people are brought up in Russian tradition only; and today, they don't associate themselves with Judaism. This is one of the missions of the current expedition – to awaken the Jewish identity among residents of small dwelling settlements," said Alexander Boroda.

Members of the Jewish community in Russia have emphasized that in the Southern Federal District (SFD) "there are virtually no manifestations of anti-Semitism."

"Young rabbis are travelling there for the fourth time, but we've never experienced any serious manifestations of anti-Semitism. The vast majority of citizens treat our mobile synagogues with curiosity and friendliness," said Alexander Boroda.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.