Russians in Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman, right. (Flash90)

July 11, 2019, 3:57 pm

In swipe at Liberman, PM says only he takes action to help Russian immigrants

Yisrael Beytenu head responds with derogatory quote about Netanyahu made by former prime minister Yitzhak Shamir in 2000

By TOI staff

Israelis gather at the Rose Garden in front of the Knesset to mark the international '4:20' marijuana smoking day, in a demonstration to push legalizing the drug, in Jerusalem, on April 20, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

June 13, 2019, 11:19 am

PM said to back law to legalize public pot-smoking, home-growing for private use

Ahead of elections, Netanyahu reportedly set to support Likud MK Haskel’s bill softening laws on marijuana; Likud also appoints new adviser to target Russian-speaking voters

By TOI staff

Edward Kaprov, an Israeli photographer, holds one of his images on a glass plate in his field darkroom, near Kibbutz Kissufim, overlooking the northern Gaza border, on February 5, 2019. (Menahem Kahana/AFP)

February 15, 2019, 3:24 pm

Photographer revives archaic art form in Gaza border series

Edward Kaprov says he took to mid-19th century collodion process as part of an artistic project to ‘create a dialogue between the past and future’

By Jonah Mandel

A display in the Ashdod Big Fashion Mall complex including a Christmas tree. (Courtesy)

December 12, 2018, 5:19 am

Ultra-Orthodox deputy mayor calls for removing Christmas tree from Ashdod mall

Shas representative says decorations a ‘disgrace’ aimed at harming Jewish identity; company says it’s trying bring a ‘European atmosphere’

By TOI staff and JTA

Russian citizens living in Israel voting at one of the 14 polling stations across the country, March 2018. (Facebook Embassy of Russia in Israel)

March 19, 2018, 7:43 pm

Few Russians in Israel cast ballots, but most who do back Putin

Opposition candidate with Jewish roots comes in second among the 12,000 Israeli Russians who participate in presidential election

By Raphael Ahren

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) welcomes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on June 7, 2016. (AFP Photo/Pool/Maxim Shipenkov)

February 15, 2018, 10:59 am

Russian official: If Iran attacks Israel, we’ll stand with you

Moscow’s deputy ambassador in Tel Aviv says while Israel was right to shoot down intruding drone, he doesn’t buy IDF’s assertion that Tehran was behind Saturday’s launch

By Raphael Ahren

Oleg Kuvaev satirizes Russian society with his cartoon, 'Masyanya.' (Courtesy)

May 12, 2017, 10:56 am

In Tel Aviv, a Russian cartoonist draws upon the old country for inspiration

In the classic tradition, Oleg Kuvaev satirizes society back home — and he’ll speak about it this week at Limmud FSU in New York

By Julie Masis

Rabbis Ari Edelkopf, center, and Berel Lazar, right, listen to a speech at a reception of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia in Sochi, Russia, February 9, 2017. (Courtesy of Federation of Jewish Communities)

February 14, 2017, 4:06 am

Rabbi’s expulsion rattles Russian Jews fearful of Kremlin crackdown

Chabad emissary Ari Edelkopf has been deemed a threat to national security, worrying a community that finds itself living in an increasingly authoritarian state

By Cnaan Liphshiz

A girl catching artificial snow at the opening of the Table Talk Cafe in Tel Aviv. (Anna Rudnitsky/The Times of Israel)

October 26, 2016, 3:59 am

On the banks of the Yarkon River lies a little piece of Moscow

Driven out of Russia by political change and economic crisis, Moscow intellectuals boost commerce and community life in Russian-speaking Israel

By Anna Rudnitsky

President Reuven Rivlin, left, meets with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow on March 17, 2015. (Mark Neyman/GPO)

March 17, 2016, 9:08 pm

Moscow wants more trade with Israel, Russian PM tells Rivlin

Both leaders express support for efforts to establish a free-trade agreement

By Tamar Pileggi

President Reuven Rivlin (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Moscow on March 16, 2016 (Mark Neiman/GPO)

March 17, 2016, 4:29 am

Israel won’t allow Iran, Hezbollah on Syrian border, Rivlin tells Putin

Israeli president tells Russian counterpart enemies’ presence in Golan Heights is a red line, backs return of UN peacekeepers

By TOI staff

Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes his Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, on March 16, 2016. (AFP/POOL/Maxim Shipenkov)

March 16, 2016, 7:25 pm

Putin: Netanyahu to visit Kremlin for defense talks

Israeli president meets counterpart in Moscow days after surprise pullout from Syria announced; both leaders hail strong ties

By TOI staff and Raphael Ahren

Russian immigrants in Ashdod celebrate Novy God with actors dressed as Grandfather Frost in 2015. (Drori Garti/Flash 90)

December 24, 2015, 2:29 am

Young Russian-Israelis return to roots with motherland-style New Year’s

It’s not Christmas despite the tree and the plump, bearded gift-giver, and it’s definitely not Silvester, which celebrates the life of a pope. It’s Novy God, and it’s about family, food, fun and fresh beginnings

By Jessica Steinberg

Customers shopping at Joy, a small Tel Aviv store that has been heckled repeatedly for selling Christmas and New Year’s merchandise. (Ben Sales/JTA)

December 22, 2015, 2:35 am

Russian-Israelis embrace tinsel, trees and Santa Claus — but don’t call it Christmas

Novy God, New Year’s in Russian, is celebrated as a secular holiday, but that doesn’t stop some Israeli Jews from criticizing its observance

By Ben Sales

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, September 21, 2015. (Courtesy Embassy of Israel in Russia)

September 21, 2015, 6:27 pm

Russia to allow Israeli strikes on Syrian arms transfers, PM says

After Kremlin meet, Netanyahu says ‘mechanism’ reached with Russian leader to prevent misunderstandings in Syrian fighting

By Raphael Ahren