Young Russian-speaking American Jews gather to learn, party, and celebrate their heritage

For the first three decades of his life, Michael Zurakhinsky wasn’t interested in Jewish life. The 33-year old finance professional who works in Manhattan and lives in the East Village, however, credits a group called Limmud FSU (Former Soviet Union) for turning him on to Jewish thought and culture about a year and a half ago.

“Thanks to Limmud, I have become very interested in Jewish, and especially Russian Jewish life,” says Zurakhinsky, who was born in Kharkov, Ukraine.

For three days, from May 11-13, Zurakhinsky was one of about 650 Russian-speaking American Jews who took part in the first Limmud FSU conference to take place in the US. Held on the campus of Princeton University, it featured all the usual fanfare that has become a hallmark of the worldwide Limmud movement – provocative debates, festive Shabbat celebrations, lectures, artistic performances, music, dancing, and yoga – but this gathering had a Russian twist.

Instead of The Maccabeats or Arik Einstein, the participants rocked to The Red Elvises, Mira Stroika, and Iryna Rosenfeld – some of the biggest names in the Russian Jewish music world. They also met prominent authors, academics, rabbis, and political figures from Israel, Russia, and the US.

“We started Limmud FSU to restore the tradition of lifelong Jewish learning and to strengthen Jewish identity in the Russian-speaking Jewish community,” says Sandra Cahn, one of the founders of the group. “We hope this conference and all of our activities will ensure a vibrant and sustainable Jewish future for young Russian-speaking adults in the Former Soviet Union, Israel, and America.”

By some accounts, there are as many as 750,000 Jews in the US who were either born in the Former Soviet Union or have parents who came from Russian-speaking countries.

Zurakhinsky says that, although he believes the community is not neglected by mainstream Jewish American groups, it is “misunderstood.”

“Their interest in Judaism and connection to Israel is often different from their American counterparts,” he says.  Researchers who study the population say Russian-speaking Jews are often considered “not very Jewish” by the larger community, but studies indicate that this is a misconception.

For example, Russian-speaking Jews are more likely to be members of a Jewish community center than of a synagogue, according to Ira Sheskin, a demographer at the University of Miami. He also says they are more likely to have a stronger attachment to Israel than American Jews, possibly because many have relatives who immigrated to the Jewish State.

Like Zurakhinsky, the overwhelming majority of Russian-speaking Jews live in the New York City area.

Organizers of Limmud FSU took that into account, as Princeton University is a short bus ride away from New York. Zurakhinsky called the huge crowd “a wonderful showing of force and commitment.”

“I believe in ‘strength in numbers’ and this was the key to the success of the event for me,” he says.

“I was already proud of my heritage, but this event solidified my belief in how important the overall Russian Jewish heritage is, because it is not mine alone. There are many people with a similar mindset to me, willing to join a gathering that is attractive to them, and that they believe in.”