Anti-Semitism Flares In Russia
Russian Jews turned out Sunday night to mark the beginning of Hanukkah in a very public ceremony, reports CBS News Senior European Correspondent Tom Fenton. But this year, there's a shadow hanging over the holiday, caused by an ugly flare-up of anti-Semitism.
Nationalist groups like Russian National Unity have been fueling anti-Semitism by blaming Russia's many Jewish politicians and businessmen for causing the country's current financial crisis.
Anti-Semitism has also become more open in the Russian government. One Communist parliamentarian shocked the nation recently by calling for Jews to be rounded up and thrown in prison.
"If anything happens to me," warned Ret. Gen. Albert Makashov, "I will take out at least 10 of those Yids on my enemies list."
Members of Moscow's Jewish community say that latent anti-Jewish sentiment here -- never far below the surface -- could again grow stronger.
These people have experienced anti-Semitism first-hand. The Marina Roshcha Synagogue was burned to the ground, and a new synagogue that replaced it has been bombed twice.
No suspects were ever arrested, which disturbs the synagogue's chief rabbi. He blames the Russian government for failing to act strongly against anti-Semitism. He further faults the Communist Party for trying to gain politically from it.
"They're using the agenda, they're using the crisis and the situation in order to bring forward their agenda, and to try to get votes," says Rabbi Berl Lazar. "I'd say it's more political than anti-Semitic, that they don't like the Jews."
Although anti-Semitism in Russia has been a problem since the time of the tsars, the Yeltsin government does show signs of trying to address it.
Earlier this week, Russian president Boris Yeltsin fired his closest advisors, in part because they failed to prevent political extremism.
Meanwhile, Jewish leaders are praying that the government will move aggressively against anti-Semitism, so that the tragic history of Russia's Jews will not repeat itself.
Reported by Tom Fenton
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