The Moscow Choral Synagogue and Its Rabbinate, 1940s–1980s
The Moscow Choral Synagogue and Its Rabbinate, 1940s–1980s
Author(s): Gennady EstraikhSubject(s): History of Church(es), Studies of Literature, Economic history, Comparative Studies of Religion, History of Judaism, Interwar Period (1920 - 1939), WW II and following years (1939 - 1949), Post-War period (1950 - 1989), Transformation Period (1990 - 2010), Sociology of Religion
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Keywords: Judaism in the Soviet Union; status of rabbis; secularization; religious diplomacy; publication of prayer-books
Summary/Abstract: The Moscow Choral Synagogue, unofficially considered the central Jewish religious institution in the USSR, operated throughout the entire Soviet period. In addition to meeting the spiritual needs of thousands of observant Jews, it was expected to serve as a propaganda display of the constitutionally proclaimed freedom to manifest religious identity. The authorities attentively controlled the appointment of the synagogue’s chief rabbis and their activity after taking office. Being fully cognizant that the regime instrumentalized religion for its political purposes, the rabbis had learned to act accordingly. This included playing a role in state-approved international contacts. Therefore, the article examines in detail the synagogue’s contacts during the rabbinical tenures of Solomon Shlifer (1944–1957), Yehuda Leib Levin (1957–1971), Yakov Fishman (1972–1983), and Adolf Shayevich, appointed in 1983. The New York-based Appeal to Conscience Foundation, founded in 1965 on the initiative of Rabbi Arthur Schneier, acted as a principal conduit for the Moscow Choral Synagogue’s links with religious organizations outside the Soviet Union. Still, the Choral Synagogue was not merely a gimmick for hosting foreign observers. Real life occurred behind its facade.
Journal: Iudaica Russica
- Issue Year: 14/2025
- Issue No: 1
- Page Range: 1-29
- Page Count: 29
- Language: English
