Let My People Know
Over 450 Jewish and gentile scholars gathered in Moscow recently to celebrate, explore and absorb Judaic studies at the sixth Annual SEFER Academic Conference. One professor at the conference put it very aptly when he said, "In the past we said 'Let my people go', now our mantra is 'Let my people know.'"
While the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and other Jewish organizations are involved in many activities to help make Jewish life more accessible to the more than one million Jews who remain in the former Soviet Union, Jewish studies has proven to be a powerful force in a society that always held intellectual pursuits in high esteem. " Studying Jewish topics changes people's lives," explained SEFER Director Dr. Victoria Motchalova. "Russian Jews who only had a negative identity -- they knew they were Jews only because they were persecuted -- now feel they are proud heirs to a monumental intellectual heritage."
The SEFER conference is an example of how Jewish life and culture in the former Soviet Union are blossoming beyond expectation. SEFER executive Rashid Kaplanova touted the growth of the conference as reflecting the intense and growing interest among among former Soviets in all subjects Judaic. "In 1996, the first SEFER Academic Directory was issued, listing 54 academic institutions that offered courses in Judaica. The 1999 edition now contains 90 institutions. And it continues to grow."
Participants came to Moscow in large delegations. Representatives from all over the former Soviet Union joined with academics from Europe and America in exploring the subjects which were off limits during the 70-year soviet era.
Joining the 450 scholars from all corners of the former Soviet Union, a small delegation of American Jews attended this recent three-day Jewish studies conference at Moscow State University, sponsored in part by JDC. The delegation included a NY State Supreme Court Judge, a Columbia Professor and a real-estate executive.
The excitement of the conference was palpable, according to Judge Muriel Hubsher, a member of the American delegation. "The packed conference was tingling with excitement and energy. The passionate involvement and interest of the Jewish and Russian scholars were unbelievable. At one point a table was set up to give out free Russian books on Jewish topics and people crowded around like they were at a banquet where caviar was being handed out."
With the help of SEFER, which sponsors not only the annual conference, but also many other initiatives to help foster Jewish studies, 90 universities across the former Soviet Union are now offering Jewish studies courses. "Some of the professors who are now teaching publicly were once forced to study clandestinely, but many are Jewish professors from a variety of disciplines," explained Jonathan Porath, JDC's Director of Academic Programs in the former Soviet Union. "A professor who was an expert on medieval history is now teaching Jewish medieval history."
Over 200 professors delivered papers on a wide range of topics with ancient Jewish history, biblical studies and Jewish thought among the most popular. "Biblical studies and Jewish philosophy are the most interesting topics for young scholars, more so than more contemporary topics. For so long they were the forbidden fruit," said Motcholova. "For new Jewish scholars to begin understanding their legacy, they want to start at the beginning of beginnings."
One of the highlights of the conference was the dedication of the new Center for Jewish Studies and Jewish Civilization at Moscow State University's prestigious Institute for African and Asian Studies, in partnership with Hebrew University. It is ironic that the Institute used to be unofficially closed to Jews and is now the site of the first ever joint program between an Israeli and a Russian University. The new center will offer students majors in Hebrew, Jewish History and Israeli politics and economics and will host visiting professors from Hebrew University.
Since Moscow State University is often regarded as the Harvard of Russia, its acceptance of Jewish studies is a real benchmark, but the fervor for Jewish studies has spread well beyond the urban elite. Only 1/3 of the conference attendees came from Moscow; participants journeyed from places like Kharkov, Zitomer and Birobijan. Since many of the small communities are lacking educational resources, SEFER has year-round programs like a speaker's bureau and a mentoring program which helps spread Jewish knowledge across the 11 time zones of the former Soviet Union.
"I recently got a request from a closed town, where nuclear projects are developed, for a lecturer on Kabbalah," declared Motchalova. "How this secret town, which is home to a group of Jewish engineers, became curious about Jewish mysticism is beyond me."
While Sefer has taken the reigns on administering its own academic affairs, financial woes are never far from Motchalova's mind. "We are so thankful for all the new freedoms that we have, but without outside financial support we could not possibly re-build our community. We are so grateful for the support from our American 'mishpacha' through the Joint Distribution Committee."
Herb Neuman, a member of the American delegation was so impressed with the mentoring program, which brings budding Jewish studies teachers from outlying towns to Moscow for a month of study, that he offered financial support and hopes others will follow his lead.
Motchalova and her colleagues were deeply touched by the moral support demonstrated by the visiting delegation from America. "They are heroes to come to Moscow to the SEFER conference in the 20 degree below weather." The American delegation was equally enamored of Motchalova and everything they witnessed at the SEFER conference. Herb Neuman said the vacation was a trip he would long remember. "You can sit on a Caribbean beach and drink mint juleps, or you can come to Moscow, freeze, and have the experience of a lifetime by attending the SEFER conference. It's no contest."
