When the world gets closer.

We help you see farther.

Sign up to our expressly international daily newsletter.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

You've reach your limit of free articles.

Get unlimited access to Worldcrunch

You can cancel anytime.

SUBSCRIBERS BENEFITS

Ad-free experience NEW

Exclusive international news coverage

Access to Worldcrunch archives

Monthly Access

30-day free trial, then $2.90 per month.

Annual Access BEST VALUE

$19.90 per year, save $14.90 compared to monthly billing.save $14.90.

Subscribe to Worldcrunch
Russia

Russia's Controversial Chief Rabbi Talks Religion, Politics and Oligarchs

Vladimir Putin and Berel Lazar in 2012
Vladimir Putin and Berel Lazar in 2012
Pavel Korobov

MOSCOW - Berel Lazar, the Chief Rabbi of Russia, was born in Milan and went to college in the United States. A U.S. citizen, Lazar is a controversial figure, but not because of his unusual pedigree.

He arrived in Russia in 1990, and quickly attracted several Jewish oligarchs to his congregation. Their money lent his congregation, and Lazar himself, influence both within the Jewish community and, some argue, in Russian politics. Lazar was elected Chief Rabbi by the Federation of Jewish Communities, an organization he created – one of several Jewish organizations in Russia. His election in 2000 was immediately recognized by the then-newly elected President Vladimir Putin. The rival Jewish organizations and their Chief Rabbi had supported Putin’s opponent.

In addition to the political intrigue, there is religious conflict. Lazar is Hasidic and has said publicly that Reform Judaism “cannot be seriously called a religion.” His detractors argue that a Rabbi with so much disdain for Reform Judaism cannot claim to represent all Russian Jews.

Lazar sat down with Kommersant to answer questions about the Jewish community in Russia, his personal relationship with the Kremlin and wealthy Jewish oligarchs and the divisions within the Jewish Community in Russia.

Kommersant: As a U.S. Citizen, how did you end up leading a religious organization in Russia? According to the new laws regarding the funding of non-profit organizations (which say that any non-profit that accepts foreign support must register as a “foreign agent”) wouldn’t you be considered a foreign agent?
Lazar: Probably. But I say this: When I came to Russia more than 20 years ago, within a couple of days I knew that I had come to stay. I immediately requested Russian citizenship, and received it. If a person comes to a country and can’t get citizenship or have equal rights, then that is discrimination. Many people went to Israel from the Soviet Union, and some of those people later became vice-premiers. I am not planning to become Russia’s president. Of course, the President should be someone who was born here.

There are some people who say that the Federation of Jewish Communities was created with the involvement of the government in order to counter the traditional Jewish organizations that were not happy with the government. Do you agree with that?
I hear that very often. But the truth is that the reason was purely religious – to develop Jewish life. The format that Jewish society had previously did not allow for a full Jewish life.

There are people who say that the Federation of Jewish Communities took on a political role after the Russian Jewish Congress and other Jewish organizations supported Vladimir Gusinksy in 2000. Is that so?
I hear that often. I can only say what I saw and how I understand the situation. Mr. Gusinksi decided to go into politics even though he had major responsibilities within the Jewish community. When we discussed this, he said, “ I want to go into politics, but I have disagreements with the government. At the same time, I want to remain president of the Russian Jewish Congress. Do you support me?” I was against this, because no matter where a Jew lives, he should be loyal to the government as long as the government is not persecuting Jews or religion. That is how it is all over the world. A Jewish organization must, according to Jewish law, respect the country’s laws and be loyal to the government. There was a vote, and I was in the minority. The government had a predictable reaction. Unfortunately, Gusinky played the Jewish card in pursuing his goals, and the Russian Jewish Congress suffered.

Your opponents often call you the “pro-Kremlin rabbi.” How would you comment on that?
I never wanted to be Chief Rabbi and never thought that I would become Chief Rabbi. After the Russian Jewish Congress made its choice, it was clear whom the government would want to deal with. It is very important to stress that Vladimir Gusinsky never represented the religious community. And the government started working with the person who really represented the interests of the Jewish community.

Are there times when the Russian government asks you for help in resolving international problems with Israel or the U.S.?
Thank God, there are not many problems between Russian and Israel. But there have been times when different people have asked for my advice. Sometimes I have taken the initiative without asking for permission from the government. For instance, the Jackson-Venik amendment, which was connected with Russia’s entry into the World Trade Organization. There was a time when I was very actively working on that.

There are some very rich members of the Federation of Jewish Communities, including Roman Abramovich (the owner of the Chelsea Football Club). It would seem that the organization does not have any money problems?
The only person without financial worries is one that just sits in the temple. But we are building more and more synagogues. There is not end to what we want to build. So no matter how much we are helped, it will never be enough.

Several years ago, the president of the Holocaust Foundation Alla Gerber suggested similar affirmative action measures for Jews in Russia as there are for African-Americans in the U.S. as a way to reduce anti-Semitism. How do you feel about that?
I don’t understand, why today, when there is no state-sponsored anti-Semitism, someone would say that these measures are needed. You should have been talking about that in the 1980s, 1970s, when maybe Jews in the Soviet Union did live like African-Americans in the U.S. Although it’s a different situation. At any rate, today there are no Jews in Russia who could say that they are discriminated against. In addition, there are no problems in universities or schools for Jews who want to worship on Saturdays. Even if there are exams scheduled on a Saturday, you are allowed to take them on another day. Jews can take the day off for Jewish holidays. I don’t know of a single instance of someone being fired for being Jewish. I hear that a lot of employers are actually looking to hire Jews. So saying that you need to give Jews special privileges, that is not right. Jews should be treated exactly the same as all the other citizens in our country.

You've reached your limit of free articles.

To read the full story, start your free trial today.

Get unlimited access. Cancel anytime.

Exclusive coverage from the world's top sources, in English for the first time.

Insights from the widest range of perspectives, languages and countries.

Economy

Lex Tusk? How Poland’s Controversial "Russian Influence" Law Will Subvert Democracy

The new “lex Tusk” includes language about companies and their management. But is this likely to be a fair investigation into breaking sanctions on Russia, or a political witch-hunt in the business sphere?

Photo of President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda

Polish President Andrzej Duda

Piotr Miaczynski, Leszek Kostrzewski

-Analysis-

WARSAW — Poland’s new Commission for investigating Russian influence, which President Andrzej Duda signed into law on Monday, will be able to summon representatives of any company for inquiry. It has sparked a major controversy in Polish politics, as political opponents of the government warn that the Commission has been given near absolute power to investigate and punish any citizen, business or organization.

And opposition politicians are expected to be high on the list of would-be suspects, starting with Donald Tusk, who is challenging the ruling PiS government to return to the presidency next fall. For that reason, it has been sardonically dubbed: Lex Tusk.

University of Warsaw law professor Michal Romanowski notes that the interests of any firm can be considered favorable to Russia. “These are instruments which the likes of Putin and Orban would not be ashamed of," Romanowski said.

The law on the Commission for examining Russian influences has "atomic" prerogatives sewn into it. Nine members of the Commission with the rank of secretary of state will be able to summon virtually anyone, with the powers of severe punishment.

Under the new law, these Commissioners will become arbiters of nearly absolute power, and will be able to use the resources of nearly any organ of the state, including the secret services, in order to demand access to every available document. They will be able to prosecute people for acts which were not prohibited at the time they were committed.

Their prerogatives are broader than that of the President or the Prime Minister, wider than those of any court. And there is virtually no oversight over their actions.

Nobody can feel safe. This includes companies, their management, lawyers, journalists, and trade unionists.

Keep reading...Show less

You've reached your limit of free articles.

To read the full story, start your free trial today.

Get unlimited access. Cancel anytime.

Exclusive coverage from the world's top sources, in English for the first time.

Insights from the widest range of perspectives, languages and countries.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

You've reach your limit of free articles.

Get unlimited access to Worldcrunch

You can cancel anytime.

SUBSCRIBERS BENEFITS

Ad-free experience NEW

Exclusive international news coverage

Access to Worldcrunch archives

Monthly Access

30-day free trial, then $2.90 per month.

Annual Access BEST VALUE

$19.90 per year, save $14.90 compared to monthly billing.save $14.90.

Subscribe to Worldcrunch

The latest