A moment in time: New insights about the Global RSJ community - opinion

What does it mean to be a part of the Russian-speaking Jewish (RSJ) community at this time? We kept coming back to this question as a global team of Jewish professionals serving the RSJ within Mem Global (formerly Moishe House) programs. The answer is deeply complex, especially in a post-October 7, 2023 world, with the war in Ukraine still raging.

As a Jewish educator, I have never been intimidated by complex questions – they attract and fascinate me, and this was no exception. 

I needed to know the answer, or the answers, to be able to meet my community builders where they are and support them in ways they need, not based on my assumptions and guesses.

The best approach seemed straightforward: What if we asked them directly? Not virtually but in person, giving them time and space to consider the question and giving us the chance to look into their eyes as they answered. 

What if we asked in different parts of the world and compared the responses? What if we allowed them to pose big questions, knowing that other RSJ community members in different parts of the world would be answering?

Jewish learning retreats are a perfect setting for these conversations. They provide a direct touchpoint with the RSJ community, and the participants are usually people who value Jewish learning and find introspection meaningful. 

We created two learning session formats last year: the RSJ Today Survey, which we conducted in Toronto, Canada, and in Prague, Czech Republic; and the Big RSJ Questions session, which we facilitated in Tbilisi, Georgia, and Seattle.

Below are the main takeaways so others in our field can better understand the Russian-speaking Jewish experience and perspectives. We hope these findings will inspire you to approach dialogue in your own community with creativity and curiosity.

What it means to be RSJ

We asked two groups of RSJ community leaders and members 40 questions about various aspects of the RSJ experience, covering Jewish identity, Israel, immigration, leadership, heritage, RSJ community, and family traditions.

Questions ranged from “When did your Jewish journey begin?” and “What languages do you speak in your family?” to “Did you have a used teabag on your kitchen counter that was reused multiple times when you were a kid?” (For the record, the answer to that last one was a resounding “yes.”)

We printed each question and gave participants stickers to mark their answers. At the end, they were divided into groups to analyze the findings together and form their own opinions on their community.

As a result, we uncovered unique characteristics of North American RSJ communities compared to RSJ communities in other parts of the world (Global RSJ). Two paths, shaped by different environments, yet rooted in the same history.

• North American RSJ communities: RSJ identity is often inherited, shaped by family, relationships, and a broader Jewish environment. Integration into mainstream Jewish communities is common, and RSJ identity exists as a distinct cultural layer. Leadership within RSJ circles is less pronounced, and many see Jewish and RSJ spaces as separate entities.
• Global RSJ communities: RSJ identity is frequently a choice, something individuals create for themselves through education and intentional community-building. Strong RSJ friendship networks form deep cultural bonds, weaving Jewish identity together with other local cultures and traditions. Leadership engagement is more prevalent, with many viewing Jewish and RSJ communities as interconnected rather than separate.

RSJ big questions: Global dialogue, Talmud-style

Next, we moved from closed-ended questions to open-ended, reflective ones. We asked participants to brainstorm together and then divide into smaller groups to come up with five “Big RSJ Questions” that reflect current concerns and challenges in RSJ community. 

These questions were addressed to North American RSJ community leaders and members, with the answers returned in the format of a Talmud page – a central question, surrounding commentary, and an even deeper question as a conclusion.

Here are the five Big RSJ Questions we collected from Global RSJ communities:

1. How can we shift the relationship between the American Jewish community and the RSJ community from sponsorship to partnership?
2. Do you believe secular Judaism will replace religious Judaism in the coming decades?
3. Should modern Jewish communities uphold divisions based on Jewish law?
4. Who benefits from keeping RSJ and non-RSJ communities separate? Why?
5. What can we do to combat xenophobia in Jewish communities?

Here are the questions created in response by North American RSJ communities a few months later:

1. What would the Global RSJ community want and need from a true partnership with American Jews? How would you like to feel connected to the American RSJ community?
2. Is secular Judaism sustainable? Is it dissolving itself?
3. How can future generations support diverse community members while preserving the essence of Jewish law
4. What are the benefits of gathering in shared identity spaces? How can non-RSJ Jews support the RSJ community?
5. To bridge gaps in Jewish communities, how can we break through defensive barriers shaped by perceptions of other communities?

We will bring these questions and the accompanying commentary to our next Jewish learning retreat in Budapest in June 2025, delving deeper into specific themes to develop actionable steps to address the challenges we face. 

This is just the beginning of a process that we hope will shape how we think about, talk with, and more deeply engage the RSJ community. 

These findings help us better understand our communities and guide our future choices in creating Jewish resources and experiences.

The more we listen, question, and engage with each other across borders, the better we can shape a future where RSJ identity is not just remembered but actively lived and strengthened, and our community builders are thriving.

The writer is a Global RSJ Jewish educator for Mem Global.