Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies and Consultations has released a new Arabic book titled The Jewish Community in Russia: From Marginalization to Influence, authored by Dr. Heba Gamal Eldin El-Azab. The first chapter is available for free download.
The book offers insightful answers to key questions about the role of Russian Jews and their transformation from a marginalized minority to an influential elite. It explores how they rose to prominence, the tools they employed to gain power and influence, why Russia granted them their first national homeland in history, the Birobidzhan region, and how that region evolved during the Soviet era and beyond.
>> Click here to download Chapter One: (Chapter 1)  (82 pages, 2.4 MB) (Arabic) |
Publication Information Arabic – Title: Al-Ta’ifah al-Yahudiyyah fi Rusya: Min al-Tahmish ila al-Nufuz (The Jewish Community in Russia: From Marginalization to Influence) – Prepared by: Dr. Heba Gamal Eldin El-Azab – Published in: 2025 – Pages: 168 – Paperback: $6 – Soft Copy: $2.99 – ISBN: 978-614-494-060-0 |
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The book examines the position of Russian Jews on the Russo-Ukrainian War, their alignment with the Russian leadership, and how Russian Jewish elites responded to Western sanctions imposed on them due to their Russian nationality. This brings to mind the “Jewish Question,” which was central to the rise of the Zionist movement and has since become a propaganda tool for both the Russian and Ukrainian sides in the conflict. As a result, Israel has emerged as a key player in the escalation.
Since the Tsarist era, the Russian Federation has recognized Jews as Russian citizens, making it the fourth-largest country in the world by Jewish population. It was also the first country to grant them a national homeland, establishing the Birobidzhan Autonomous Region on the Russian-Chinese border in 1934. Furthermore, Russia was the first state to recognize the declaration of the State of Israel in 1948.
The Jewish population in Russia is twice that of Ukraine and has gradually declined due to migration and negative demographic growth. According to official data from 2013, there are 600 Jewish organizations in Russia, nearly half of which, about 265, are classified as religious.
Russian Jews have experienced several pivotal phases, each marked by distinct challenges. These began with persecution and violent conflict during the Tsarist era, eventually leading to substantial influence in Russia’s economy and wealth. Many Jewish individuals rose to prominence as powerful barons, controlling more than half of the economy of one of the world’s largest powers, Russia.
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