Jewish Moscow:

A century and a half of  upheaval and resurgence

Sunday,  February 4

USA 12:00 pm PT / 3:00 pm ET

UK 8:00 pm / France 09:00 pm / Israel 10:00 pm

The talk will last approximately 90 minutes

About this talk

Moscow, the capital of modern Russia, is home to the largest Jewish community in the country, still numbering some 100,000 people. Despite all the current political events, Jewish life here flourishes., and anyone traveling to Moscow will find beautiful historical and new Synagogues, Community Centers, Jewish museums, and more. The community is also known for its rich religious and cultural life. But it was not the same in the past.

Our talk will cover the period of about 140-150 years, from the time when Jews were first allowed to settle in Moscow to the present day. We will look at the Jewish business empires of the late 19th century and find their traces today. We will find out how a Jew became the best Russian landscape artist and will speak about the time when Jews were expelled from the city. We will visit the Old Choral Synagogue and the Bolshaya Bronnaya Synagogue as well.

We will learn the unique story of a modern "shtetl" created in the early 20th century and which still exists today. We will discuss the economic activities of the Soviet Jews in the small towns around Moscow - and how their traditional role as middlemen continued even during communism. We will look at the Jewish Community Center in Marina Rosha and visit the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center - dedicated to the history of Russian Jews. We will also pay a visit to the Holocaust Memorial Synagogue located in Victory Park.

Finally, we will cover the changes in the atmosphere and Jewish Community life in Moscow since February 24, 2022.

About Evgenia

Evgenia Kempinski is a Russian Jew born and raised in St. Petersburg. Her family was originally from the Pale of Settlement - Poland, Ukraine and Belorussia. She has been an official St. Petersburg tour guide for over 15 years and she is the founder and owner of St.Petersburg Jewish Tours - a company offering Jewish travelers a unique experience of showcasing the best of the former Soviet Union and Scandinavia from a Jewish point of view. She currently lives in Haifa, Israel.

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With your contribution you will also be donating to The Together Plan, a small charity with a big vision - to put Jewish Belarus and Ukraine back on the world map and help isolated Jewish communities find their voice and learn skills for self-development.

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