Russia: 2nd Shliach Expelled

By Interfax

The recent expulsion of two foreign rabbis from Russia means that Russian Jews fear for the future of their community “for the first time in many years,” said the Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar.

“Recently rabbi Yisroel Silberstein was deported from Primorye, and rabbi Zvi Hershcovich from Stavropol territory. It is a very depressing signal for us, Jews have begun to fear for the future of their community in Russia for the first time in many years,” Lazar said.

“It is a very alarming signal for other [religious communities] as well – Christians, Muslims, Buddhists,” he said at a joint meeting of the Council for Liaison for Religious Organizations of the Russian president’s office and the State Council Presidium.

“In the negative environment of the [economic] crisis, where material problems become exacerbated, some start looking for someone to blame and declare those who are unlike themselves to be guilty. This is called xenophobia, and it leads to extremism and fascism,” the rabbi said.

The two rabbis’ deportation was “an instance where, instead of addressing problems, some people look for an enemy,” he said.

Russian Jewish communities still need to invite rabbis from abroad, Lazar also said, complaining that religious ministry is not among official reasons the Russian authorities accept for issuing work visas to foreigners.

“Minor changes to the rules would eliminate the problem. Only one thing is needed – officials should be willing to help believers and not to raise obstacles for them,” he said.

“Today more than 60% of our spiritual leaders, rabbis, are local people, people who were born and educated in Russia, but there remains the need to invite rabbis from abroad,” Lazar said.

“Each community has close ties with people of the same faith in other countries. If officials try to cut off these ties, they will not simply inflict a serious damage on the position of Russia in the world but will undermine the interreligious and interdenominational image of the country,” he said.

Russians “should not only be stronger but also kinder when they emerge from the crisis,” Lazar said.

The Russian state and media must pay more attention to spiritual and moral values, he said.

“The media must take their share of responsibility,” he said.

“Programs with punch-ups and shootings, all those outrages on federal television channels mean absence of all moral constraints,” he said.

“Until now far we have been able to keep religious peace in the country. During the crisis we must consolidate it,” Lazar said.