Jews and Jewish Life in Russia and the Soviet Union (The Cummings Center)

"The leading experts of contemporary Jewish history who have contributed to this volume present the first broad and penetrating assessment of Jewish life in Russia, the Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia. The access gained to archives since the disintegration of the USSR has enabled them to employ a wide array of documentary evidence in discussing politically sensitive issues such as Stalin's plan for the deportation of millions of Jews to Siberia, the extent of collaboration by Russians and Ukrainians during the Second World War and grass-roots anti-Semitism. The documents further provide an opportunity to understand the mechanism of Soviet control over religion and offer insights into Soviet policymaking with regard to its Jewish population and to Israel."--BOOK JACKET. "In both the tsarist and Soviet eras, the preoccupation of the authorities with the Jewish question was extensive. The solutions ranged from assimilation to emigration, repression and annihilation. Yet Russian Jewry managed to adapt itself to the twists and turns of Soviet policy, which was rooted in pragmatic considerations, and to maintain a surprising level of cultural and religious activity. Now, however, the stark reality of demographic trends casts doubt on the future prospects of the Russian Jewish community."--BOOK JACKET.