The Times of Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/former-soviet-union/ News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World Tue, 09 Jun 2026 10:04:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://static-cdn.toi-media.com/www/uploads/2018/11/toi_icon_512-200x200.png former Soviet Union | The Times of Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/former-soviet-union/ 32 32 Russia accused of Holocaust distortion over ‘Genocide of the Soviet People’ memorial day https://www.timesofisrael.com/russia-accused-of-holocaust-distortion-over-genocide-of-the-soviet-people-memorial-day/ Fri, 09 Jan 2026 01:38:55 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3730069 New remembrance day created by the Kremlin omits any mention of Jewish Holocaust victims, despite falling on the same date as the start of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

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]]> How a UN vote 50 years ago equating Zionism with racism forever altered discourse on Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-a-un-vote-50-years-ago-equating-zionism-with-racism-forever-altered-discourse-on-israel/ Fri, 12 Dec 2025 06:54:40 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3683222 In November 1975, the USSR championed a resolution aimed at easing criticism of its own antisemitism at Israel's expense. It was repealed in 1991, but experts say its effect lives on

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]]> As war rages in neighboring Ukraine, Transnistria’s Jews feel caught in a Soviet time warp https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-war-rages-in-neighboring-ukraine-transnistrias-jews-feel-caught-in-a-soviet-time-warp/ Sat, 30 Aug 2025 00:11:33 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3628877 The Russian-aligned breakaway state in Moldova had a Jewish population of 300,000 before the Holocaust. The few remaining today battle heightened poverty amid neighboring conflict

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]]> After decades of conflict, Armenia-Azerbaijan peace plan gives Caucasus Jews new hope https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-decades-of-conflict-armenia-azerbaijan-peace-plan-gives-caucasus-jews-new-hope/ Fri, 22 Aug 2025 13:28:59 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3625177 Jewish communities in the two former Soviet countries have had no communication, while Armenian ties to Israel have been strained over arms sales to its foe. All that may change

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]]> Former prisoner of Zion, anti-Soviet dissident Eduard Kuznetsov dies at 85 https://www.timesofisrael.com/former-prisoner-of-zion-anti-soviet-dissident-eduard-kuznetsov-dies-at-85/ Sun, 22 Dec 2024 11:58:50 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=3444556 Refusenik was one of the leaders of Operation Wedding, a failed attempt to hijack an empty civilian plane to escape Soviet Russia and head to Israel

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]]> Ukrainian Jews celebrate Passover with fresh start and new Haggadah https://www.timesofisrael.com/ukrainian-jews-celebrate-passover-with-fresh-start-and-new-haggadah/ Wed, 05 Apr 2023 13:01:30 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2986251 'For Our Freedom' includes vivid illustrations by Kyiv-born Israeli artist Zoya Cherkassky-Nnadi

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]]> Judicial overhaul divides ex-Prisoners of Zion from former Soviet Union https://www.timesofisrael.com/judicial-overhaul-divides-ex-prisoners-of-zion-from-former-soviet-union/ Tue, 28 Mar 2023 19:27:21 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2985549 Groups on both sides of the issue have published open letters making arguments grounded in their experiences behind the Iron Curtain

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]]> ‘How the Soviet Jew Was Made’: A tale of wandering, oppression, language and lore https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-the-soviet-jew-was-made-a-tale-of-wandering-oppression-language-and-lore/ Sat, 11 Feb 2023 06:56:41 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2891000 In his award-winning book, Prof. Sasha Senderovich mixes a rich, centuries-old body of Yiddish folklore with early 20th-century events to define a notoriously nebulous Jewish group

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]]> Boston Chabad marries 3 couples who were barred from having Jewish weddings in USSR https://www.timesofisrael.com/boston-chabad-marries-3-couples-who-were-barred-from-having-jewish-weddings-in-ussr/ Fri, 10 Feb 2023 23:31:31 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2948386 'It was my dream': Ukraine-born husbands and wives, married for a collective 125 years, stand under huppah for 1st time because religious ceremonies were illegal in Soviet Union

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]]> FBI memo: Bay Area Soviet Jewry protest leaders secretly sought Jews for Jesus’ help https://www.timesofisrael.com/fbi-memo-bay-area-soviet-jewry-protest-leaders-secretly-sought-jews-for-jesus-help/ Tue, 07 Feb 2023 14:17:21 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2945118 Freedom of information request yields stunning revelation that leadership recruited the well-organized but widely loathed proselytizing group to help organize and bolster crowds

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]]> Even among its advocates, changing the Law of Return proves trickier than expected https://www.timesofisrael.com/even-among-its-advocates-changing-the-law-of-return-proves-trickier-than-expected/ Fri, 27 Jan 2023 00:52:26 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2934890 Lobbying group for Russian-speaking Israelis holds fierce debate on cutting the 'grandchild clause,' with all sides acknowledging that it won't happen fast

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]]> Israelis split on whether Diaspora Jews should weigh in on changes to Law of Return https://www.timesofisrael.com/israelis-split-on-whether-diaspora-jews-should-weigh-in-on-changes-to-law-of-return/ Wed, 25 Jan 2023 18:22:13 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2931725 Poll finds more people think foreign Jews should be part of debate on proposal to revoke 'grandchild clause,' but lots don't know; most think such a move would cut immigration

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]]> Maoz looks to involve Rabbinate in determining Jewishness of would-be immigrants https://www.timesofisrael.com/maoz-looks-to-involve-rabbinate-in-determining-jewishness-of-would-be-immigrants/ Thu, 12 Jan 2023 03:32:19 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2922887 As head of Nativ, which checks citizenship eligibility in FSU, far-right lawmaker seems to be trying to make process harder so as to keep out those who are not halachically Jewish

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]]> Ukrainian Jews have historically spoken Russian. The war is changing that https://www.timesofisrael.com/ukrainian-jews-have-historically-spoken-russian-the-war-is-changing-that/ Sat, 10 Dec 2022 03:23:32 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2895151 History led Jewish communities in Ukraine to eschew the language, but disgust at Russia's invasion brings change -- and an increased perception of being part of Ukrainian society

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]]> He campaigned for Soviet immigration. Now Avi Maoz is poised to fight against it https://www.timesofisrael.com/he-campaigned-for-soviet-immigration-now-avi-maoz-is-poised-to-fight-against-it/ Thu, 01 Dec 2022 04:56:07 +0000 https://www.timesofisrael.com/?p=2884449 As head of the Nativ program, the far-right nationalist could make immigration from the former Soviet Union much harder for those who aren't Jewish according to Orthodox law

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