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File photo: Rabbi Berel Lazar with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Rabbi Lazar to Ukrainian Jews: Stay Out of Politics

Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar has advised Ukraine’s Jews not to get involved in politics.

“The Jewish communities should not offer any political advice to U.S. President Barack Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin or any other national leader, Lazar said in an interview with English-language Jewish media companies, when commenting on Ukrainian Jewish organizations’ recent address to the Russian president.

Lazar said that, in his opinion, such an approach is wrong.

Some Ukrainian Jews chose to support the Maidan protests regardless of the significant role that ultra-nationalistic and anti-Semitic parties and movements played in the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovich in Ukraine, Lazar said.

Several major anti-Semitic incidents, which caused serious concern among Jews worldwide, occurred during the recent unrest in Kiev and other regions of Ukraine, Lazar said.

Events similar to those that took place in Ukraine have not happened in Russia over the past 15 years, but the roots of anti-Semitism run deep in Ukraine, especially in some of its regions, Russia’s chief rabbi said.

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21 Comments

  • Naturally

    He has a good relationship with yidden there and he doesnt want it to be ruined

  • Gut Gezugt

    Gut Gezugt Rabbi Lazar

    And in a different vein, its also advisable for working people to keep out of Rabanan politics. They really don’t have all the facts and they will get burned. Many times , years later you get more information of all the bruhah-hah that goes on. Your like a canary in a cave. better to run from it like fire. V’dal

  • funny

    to tell ucranians to stay out of politics is like to a frum Yd, to stop daven;)

    to Gut Gezugt : if there is Rabanan politics, There is not EMES

  • uninformed

    you have it wrong Putin is Lazar’s boy. Our only concern should be that which is good for ourt brethren. All the rest is not our concern. That is what the relationship between lazar and Putin is. Look at the facts at what is going on in the ex soviet.

    • Not surprised

      Your comments are ridiculous and clearly you are the one who is “uninformed,” especially for your silly claim that “Putin is Lazar’s boy.” Apparently you yourself are “Lazar’s boy,” sticking up for him as you do, but clearly Putin is not, and will not ever be… [just as neither will I or any other freedom loving Jews ever be, for obviously other reasons… – v’di l’mavin].

  • Andrea Schonberger

    Good citizens are supposed to take an interest in the political business of their country.

  • bystander

    Which Jewish communities is Rabbi Lazar referring to? By telling others not to offer political advice he has inserted himself into the very matter that he is telling others to exclude themselves. Better he ought to focus on spreading Yiddishkeit and getting the Seforim to the Rabbi’s library where they belong.

    • Gershon Mendel

      If anyone is spreading Yidishkeit it is Rabbi Lazar! He has built up a tremendous network in Moscow and throughout Russia.

      He personally gives shiurim all the time and is completely devoted to the Rebbe’s zatzal’s inyanim.

  • what a hypocrite

    He is allowed to get involved in politics in Russia. But Rabbis/Shluchim in Ukraine cant say anything when his friend Putin attacks Ukraine. Double Standard .
    If he had a problem with the Shluchim In Ukraine representing the views of their communities he should not plaster it the papers. ( unless of course Putin tells him to).

  • uninformed

    As usual we are having comments from the readers of newspapers who have no idea what is eally happening. Lazar DOES NOT mix into russian politics. His whole concern is his Jewish brethren and his .success lies because of that and that is what he is asking of all Jewish comunities. As far as ucraina and Crimea, maybe learn a little bit of history. Crimea was always a part of Russia. After the breakup uf the soviet Gorbachev tried to appease ucraina by giving them Crimea but still left their naval bases there. Of course the west, which is scared that Russia is becoming too strong will use whatever excuse to put her in a bad light. So before you talk please inform yourself at the true source not the papers. Take alittle trip to the ex soviet, and then give your ignorant comments.
    The same is the story of the sforim. Before accusing, hear both sides. VeSholom al Yisroel

    • Not surprised

      Again the ignorance is yours. Clearly Crimea was not “always a part of Russia” as you falsely state. A brief history from Wiki shows how wrong you are:

      In ancient times, it was the home of Cimmerians and Scythians, as well as the site of Greek colonies… Later occupiers included the Romans, Goths, Huns, Bulgars, Khazars, the state of Kievan Rus’, the Byzantine Empire, the Kipchaks, and the Golden Horde. In the 13th century, portions were controlled by the Republic of Venice and by the Republic of Genoa.

      In the 9th century, Byzantium established the Cherson theme to fend against incursions by the Rus’ Khaganate, and the Crimean peninsula from this time was contested between Byzantium, Rus’ and Khazaria. The area remained the site of overlapping interests and contact between the early medieval Slavic, Turkic and Greek spheres… In the 1230s, this status quo was swept away by the Mongol invasions, and Crimea was incorporated into the territory of the Golden Horde throughout the 14th century.

      The Crimean Khanate, a state ruled by Crimean Tatars and generally subject to the Ottoman Empire, succeeded the Golden Horde and lasted from 1441 to 1783.

      The Khanate was conquered by the Russian Empire under Catherine the Great in 1783. From 1853 to 1856, the peninsula was the site of the principal engagements of the Crimean War, a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of France, Britain, the Ottoman Empire, and Sardinia [Russia lost the Crimean War, and although they retained Crimea, they lost control of the Black Sea at the time].

      During the Russian Civil War, Crimea was controlled by the White Army. After they were defeated by the Red Army, Crimea became part of the Soviet Union in 1921 as Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. In the Second World War the peninsula was occupied by Nazi Germany for several years.

      In 1954, it was transferred to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic within the Soviet Union. In 1991, it became part of independent Ukraine.

    • Please no Loshon Hora

      Wikipedia is not an accurate source.
      No English teacher in any high school or college would accept that as a source. As my 10th grade English teacher put it “If monkeys could write, they would be publishing articles on wikipedia”.
      No to say that I greatly enjoy researching random topics on Wikipedia.
      Just thought that I would mention. :)

  • Remember R. Yehuda Levin OBM

    Remember Rabbi Yehuda Levin who decades ago had to repeat to Jews in the U.S. – Russia’s lines, how he was excoriated for it. But the Rebbe saw through it and was Mekarev him since the Rebbe knew he meant the Yidden’s best interest.

  • The truth can be frightening

    Great advise for anyone. Don’t mistake Lazar’s friendship with Putin for Involvement in Politics it is clear he stays away from it. His part in the dispute over the library is simple for now Preserve & do what you can Knowing Putin & the Russians as well as he does he is focusing on the positives & keeping out of politics is sound advise for anyone politics & politicians deadly!

  • All we should know and say is...

    …Boruch Hashem, that Rabbi Lazar has a good relationship with Putin!!
    He was sent by the Rebbe to revive Jewish life and he has done just that with the help of Putin!!! Who could have fathomed the miracles we see today occurring in Russia and the extraordinary presence and strength of Chabad??? May we only see continued blessings for the Jews in the Ukraine and Russia and may we all bless our schluchim sent by the Rebbe for their amazing mesiras nefesh and wish them continued hatzlocha!!