17/08/2020
The fate of the Jews of Eastern Europe who fell under the rule of the USSR in 1939 (Presented In Russian)
The topic of this presentation by the historian and educator Yigal Kotler will be the fate of the Jews of western Ukraine and Belarus, the Baltic states, Bessarabia and northern Bukovina, that came under the rule of the USSR according to the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. We will talk about how the Jews greeted this new power, how the flourishing Jewish national life and culture, the Zionist movement, and synagogues were suppressed, how Jewish property was confiscated, and how the NKVD resettled "exploiting classes" in Siberia. We will explore the topic of participation of Jews in the Soviet-Finnish war, the rescue of the famous "Mir" yeshiva and conclude our story with how Soviet Jews met the German attack on the USSR on June 22, 1941.
*This event is free. We do, however, ask that you consider supporting COJECO Virtual Academy of the Russian Jewish Heritage when you register.
COJECO is grateful to the UJA-Federation of NY and the Genesis Philanthropy Group for their support.
