Soviet Union, The (Former)

Defying rogue regimes, the Rebbes of Chabad-Lubavitch and their emissaries risked their lives to keep Judaism alive across the Soviet Union. Their efforts enabled the embers of Judaism to spark the transformation of Jewish life thriving there today.

The oys and joys of moving to Rostov, Russia, and serving a Jewish community that has reawakened after 70 years of Communist repression.

"Thirteen years ago, my parents made two big announcements..." Yakov Danzinger shares what life is like in Rostov, Russia – offering an inside view as the son of the Chabad emissaries there. This video was produced in honor of Yakov’s Bar Mitzvah.

Tracing the postwar history of Yiddish publishing in the Soviet Union, describing the infamous purge of Yiddish writers in the early 50's and the subsequent revival in the late 50's. Looking particularly at the history of the Journal 'סאוועטיש היימלאנד' (...

Precious little is known of the tremendous devotion and self-sacrifice of Chabad activists in upholding Judaism against the oppressive Communists’ ruthless stamping out of religion. Rabbi Dovid Eliezrie shares fascinating insights and anecdotes to illustr...

The founder of Chabad was imprisoned by the Tsar in 1798 and 1801, but yet took a patriotic stance in the war of 1812. In Soviet Russia, intense persecution forced Chabad underground and its center eventually moved to the United States. Nevertheless, Chab...

What does it take to go from a shy yeshiva student from a small town in Italy… to the Chief Rabbi of Russia, rebuilding Jewish life from the ruins of communism? In this powerful talk, Rabbi Berel Lazar shares his personal journey, the Rebbe’s life-alterin...

Join the fundraising campaign to further Torah in the former Soviet Union

Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, the Rebbe's Shliach to the White House, recounts firsthand how the Rebbe influenced the U.S. government to push for the release of Soviet Jews in the 1980s.