Journal Jews in Russia and Eastern Europe
Jews in Russia and Eastern Europe is an academic peer-reviewed journal published by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1988–2008. The journal specialized in the history, culture, and contemporary life of Jews in Russia, the former Soviet Union, and Eastern Europe. It earned a strong reputation in the field of East European Jewish studies, serving as an important academic platform and resource for scholars, community activists, and institutions. All volumes have since been digitized by the Leonid Nevzlin Research Center for Russian and East European Jewry and are now publicly accessible online through J-Doc’s platform.
1985 – 1988 Jews and Jewish Topics in Soviet and East-European Publications
In September 1985, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem launched a modest English-language bulletin titled Jews and Jewish Topics in Soviet and East-European Publications. Its editor, historian Shmuel Ettinger, defined its purpose as follows: “The bulletin will serve as a source of important information, not only for specialist scholars, but also for academics in various fields, public figures, journalists, and others.”
The first seven issues consisted mainly of bibliographies and surveys of books and articles published in the USSR on Jews, Judaism, and the State of Israel. Most of the bulletin’s articles, written largely by staff members of the University’s Centre for Research and Documentation of East European Jewry, dealt directly or indirectly with antisemitism.
1989 – 1992 Jewish Topics in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe
In spring 1989, issue №2(9), the publication underwent several changes, reflected in its new title, Jewish Topics in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. An editorial board of scholars from Israel and the United States was formed, and the journal began publishing analytical articles, some original, others reprinted from publications in other languages.
1993 – 2002 Jews in Eastern Europe
After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the journal once again shifted focus and changed its name. In 1993, starting from issue №1(20), it appeared as Jews in Eastern Europe. While earlier issues were mainly political and historical, the journal now adopted an interdisciplinary approach, publishing articles on sociology and cultural subjects, including literature, theater, religion, and art.
2003 – 2008 Jews in Russia and Eastern Europe
In 2003, beginning with issue No. 1(50), the journal entered into a new partnership with the Leonid Nevzlin Research Center for Russian and East European Jewry. Its title was slightly revised to Jews in Russia and Eastern Europe, reflecting a renewed focus on Russia. Each volume was expanded, allowing for a greater number of articles and the publication of archival documents. Publication ceased in 2008, with issue No. 58 being the last to appear. For a long time, the journal's valuable scholarly content remained unavailable online. The Leonid Nevzlin Center digitized all issues and provided them to the J-Doc platform, making them accessible to scholars and the general public.
Soviet
Periodicals
This collection features articles from the Soviet press between 1948 and 1962 covering Jewish topics including literature, music, theater, history, and religion, with many documenting the antisemitic campaigns of the late Stalin era. The collection also includes issues of the Leningrad Jewish Almanac (Leningradskii evreiskii almanakh) from 1988, a samizdat publication from the perestroika period.