Birobidzhan

Birobidzhan (Russian Биробиджан, Yiddish. ביראָבידזשאַן ) with 75 413 inhabitants (as of October 14, 2010 ) is the capital of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast in the Far East Federal District, Russia. It lies on the Amur tributary Bira 172 km west of the city of Khabarovsk.

• 3.1 synagogue

History

Founded in 1915 under the name Tichonkaja ( Тихонькая ) and on March 28, 1928 provided under Stalin with the status of an urban-type settlement, the town was renamed in 1931 in Birobidzhan. In 1937 the town rights.

The name Birobidzhan derives from the two rivers Bira ( ewenk. for river) and Bidschan (storage space ), which flow together in this area. The town has a station on the Trans -Siberian Railway.

Demographics

Note: Census data

Media

In the city and appears a since 1930 every day except Saturday and Sunday, the Yiddish newspaper Birobidschaner Schtern earlier. In two editions in Russian and Yiddish, for several years, only a bilingual edition She is one of about 100 Yiddish media worldwide. During the Soviet time a magazine was published, the Najlebn ( = " Neuleben " or " new beginning" ) was called and should attract new settlers. In Najlebn and Others Poems by Oleksandr Bejderman were published. In Birobidzhan also a radio program is broadcast in Yiddish.

Jewish Life

Due to the emigration of Jews to Israel and Europe live only a few there. In schools is taught in addition to Russian in Yiddish. The Jews still living there gave a survey, why they now want to learn Yiddish, that this was the language of their ancestors and that it must be preserved. Nevertheless, gave over 80 % Russian as their mother tongue. The Jewish chamber music theater and a Yiddish theater have survived to this day. People in Birobidzhan live mainly from agriculture and from work in industrial plants (eg shoe and sock factory, agricultural machinery Daselmasch ).

Synagogue

Religious Jews had already gathered regularly in the founding years of the Oblast in primitive houses for worship. However, the community had only a cantor and no rabbi available. In the Soviet Union, the practice of religion was forbidden.

The last synagogue was burned down in 1950. It was only in the eighties, a synagogue was inaugurated in a wooden house with a building campaign in honor of the 50th anniversary Birobidschans. The ancient Jews, to whom their religion was still familiar lived, not for the most part. The synagogue was used by a Jewish man and several older women in prayer. However, they worshiped Jesus.

In the 1990s, opened a newly built synagogue. For several years, there teaches the -arrived from Israel Rabbi Scheiner. The community has, among others, a youth organization that calls itself Chaverim.

Further education institutions

• Educational institution of higher learning
• State Pedagogical Institute Birobidzhan