The Yeast of Russia

From their forced incorporation into the Russian empire in the 1700s, to their passionate demands for the freedom to emigrate in the 1960s and 70s, to the role Russia’s powerful Jewry plays today, Jews have left their mark on Russian culture. A culture which has both appreciated and degraded their contributions. With that in mind, and on the occasion of the April 22 beginning of Passover, Judaism’s most important holiday, we asked Rachel Blustain to look past the propaganda and into the history of Jews in Russia.

“Jews, the old, solid yeast of humanity, have always raised the spirit of the world with impassioned, noble ideas, instilling in people the aspiration for something better...”