By COLlive reporter
Photos: Facebook
“In those days, at this time.”
Rabbi Yossi Marozov, who served as the Chabad Shliach and the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish community in Ulyanovsk, a city on the Volga river in Russia, is the latest target of Russian authorities.
On December 26, 2017, Marozov reported to his community that, “Today is a sad day for Russia,” noting that “Unfortunately the panel of judges ruled in favor of the KGB.”
He was referring to the FSB – Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation and successor agency to the USSR’s Committee of State Security. They accused the rabbi of leading “extremist activity.”
Despite efforts, the decision to revoke the residence permit of the American born rabbi came into effect on January 27. The rabbi’s permit was valid until 2021. The permit of his wife Suri Marozov was until 2020.
Marozov, who volunteered as a youth in Chabad’s camp in Moscow, was invited to return to Russia 12 years ago at the request of Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar, a Chabad official and leader of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS.
Marozov is the great-grandson Rabbi Chonye Marozov, secretary of the Rebbe Rashab and the Rebbe Rayatz who helped build and expand the network of shuls and schools around Russia during the murderous Stalin years.
Yossi Marozov was assigned to lead the Jewish community in Ulyanovsk, the birthplace of Communist leader Vladimir Lenin. Over the years he has been successful in opening the city’s first Jewish preschool and school, a kosher cafe, a Mikvah and renovating the synagogue to hosting a daily minyan.
Marozov has been especially active in public affairs, signing an “accord of mutual cooperation” with Regional Governor Sergei Morozov (no known family connection) and joining a board run by the regional police department.
“Everyone remembers how not long ago, they had to hide their Jewish identity,” Marozov commented in 2010. “Now, on the very streets where Communism [flourished], they are proudly parading as Jewish with the full support of the government.”
In May 2017, the migration department of the regional police department appealed to the court with a demand to annul Marozov’s residence permit. The FSB accused him of “extremist activity” but did not spell out the nature of it. The residence permit was annulled by a court decision.
Marozov appealed the decision to the regional court and the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation but lost both courts.
On January 27, 2018, the decision of the Supreme Court took effect. Russian media reported that Marozov had already left Russia for the United States. His wife and six of their children are in Russia.
The JTA news agency reported that Marozov was the 8th foreign-born Chabad Rabbi to be forced to leave the country over the past decade.
Boruch Gorin, a senior aide to Rabbi Lazar, said these expulsions were an attempt by the state to limit the number of foreign clerics living in Russia – an effort that has led to expulsions not only of rabbis but also of imams and Protestant priests.
“It’s not targeting the Jews,” he said, according to JTA. “Rather, Jews are “collateral damage” in this broader effort.”
I am curious, how many shluchim are still “on the chopping block”? That is, does anyone know how many foreign born shluchim are still operating in Russia and whether they can expect to be kicked out too? Or was the reason the other shluchim were kicked out because they were foreign born AND doing something that the gov’t didn’t approve of? Is there any way for a foreign born shaliach to avoid hassle from the gov’t in a manner that wouldn’t completely disturb their shlichus work? Does anyone have any more insight into the situation that they can share? Thanks… Read more »
the rebbe wanted all the jews out of iran for a good reoson but unfortanatly there are still jews that stayed and we all saw the outcome from the last month on what happened in iran and for that same reoson there were no shluchim sent to the rest of the middle east
HaShem closes one door and opens a hundred more. For SURE gam zu l’tova.
Many things in Russia are not nearly as bad as we imagine (I have visited often and seen). There are Jews who left and made aliyah, and returned to Russia to a life they prefer and find familiar! Also, it is not Putin kicking these Rabbis out, but a branch of government. I am sure they like to limit the number of Americans as clerics, because they keep tight control on everything in Russia. It is the way they do things there. In every country, shluchim learn to live with the host country’s ‘way of doing things’ officially. Sadly, in… Read more »
Why are they getting rid of clergy?
I’m assuming you live in the US or another democracy. Not everyone is able to leave. Many are dirt poor. They are given a hassle with traveling to and from the embassy several times, and even the small cost of transportation is too much for them. They need documents, and not everyone has them. AND unfortunately, Eretz Yisroel doesn’t always welcome with open arms those who can’t support themselves.
Yes we do need Shluchim to these places the Rebbe just to send Shluchim to Russia when is was still sakonas nefoshes and also to Iran they just hat to be very careful
there is a simple fix: Dual Citizenship
Rabbi Lazar, Rabbi Boroda are both US and Russian citizens. Most other “Russian” Shluchim have Israeli Passports.
Perhaps the next target of the Russian Goverment is for those who have “dual alliances” what will we say then?
The answer is: there should have never been one Shliach ever thrown out of Russia and the line in sand should have been from the first one, that did not happen and now we have excuses for why the Russian Goverment is taking such actions. we are in trouble because we allow History to repeat itself.
yes they are there, just you don’t see them. and for good reason.
Putin is a thug and a dictator. Why people feel the need to coddle this KGB killer is beyond comprehension. All Jews should leave Russia while they still have the opportunity.
הוו זהירין ברשות–שאין מקרבין לו לאדם, אלא לצורך עצמן: נראין כאוהבין בשעת הנאתן, ואין עומדין לו לאדם בשעת דוחקו.
There are still a small amount of Jews in Lebanon and Iraq. Do we see Shluchiim there? No….
We should already know by now, Putin is devious and has his own agenda. Don’t be fooled by his ostensible friendship with Lazar. He is keeping Lazar and Chabad on a short leash.
Um pretty sure a large majority of where shluchim are located is also “enemy territory.” We don’t get to pick and choose where the sparks are that need to be lit up.
The Rebbe wanted Shluchos in every single country where a Yid is found. And since there are many Yidden in Russia, yes we need to be there and help other Yidden do Mitzvos – even if it means sacrificing our comforts. Shluchim go out of their way to help another yid, another person and nothing will stop us from doing our shlichus of the Rebbe
Well, gee, maybe there are shluchim there because – let’s think hard – there are Jews there who need them?
BORO PARK IS WITH YOU
Because there are still Yidden there! Remember — that is the mission of Chabad — to be mekarev Yidden, wherever they are.
Someone lost count. He’s number 11!
There are Russian rabbis now.
why are people still in Russia. Enough is enough. Shluchus doesn’t need to be in enemy territory. -_-.
This is all for the best! Maybe the Chabad need to not get busy with the police department! There is so much Jewish things to do , like make Rabbonim from Russia itself! Etc.
R Chonye Morozov was not expelled, he was arrested and murdered. If now the most they do is say you’re no longer welcome in our country, accept it. It’s their country, you’re their guest, so if they withdraw their invitation you should leave.
arent all Shluhim “foreign clerics” or do they work the the Goverment? Under who’s achraiyes are the Shluchim under?
now, there are a large number of students in yeshivas,if l’m not mistaken this was put on the website, those who received semicha
Why can’t Rabbi Lazar do anything about it? He seems to be on good terms with Putin. What’s the problem then? What use are all the photo ops if Putin let’s this happen?
His grandfather was shot to death in 1938 among many other Chasidim during Stalin’s purge – which before communism it was the Russian Czars that have allowed for Pogroms. They should be welcoming Chasidim back and offering citizenship like they do in Spain. Something is wrong here. They are throwing us out after years of not letting us back to Israel – yet they still are holding on to Nazi looted Seforim saying that they are “free” for anyone to read. Strange.
Russia is an awful, awful place. Seems to have always been cursed and its modern form only reinforces that view. It is great that Jews have more freedom nowadays and, seemingly, a good relationship with Putin, but we shouldn’t forget he is the Czar and Russia is no democracy.
I wish R’ Morosow the best of luck. This is a blessing in disguise (or not such a disguise).
This is terrible. The jewish community in Russia is not yet capable of producing their own rabbis. They must rely on rabbis from the US or Israel to serve the needs of the community.