Conference On Russian Jewish Diaspora Opened In Moscow

A conference devoted to the Russian-Jewish diaspora abroad opened in Moscow on Tuesday by an initiative from the Federation of Russia's Jewish Communities. The meeting is named "Soviet Jews: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow". Russian State Duma deputies, activists of the Jewish movement, and ambassadors of several countries are due to participate in the discussion. The conference was opened by Berl Lazaar, the Chief Rabbi of Russia. "Activists of the Soviet Jewish Movement promoted changes in society," he said. According to Lazaar, "Jews can feel at ease in today's Russia". Israeli Ambassador to Russia Nathan Miron stressed that "the Jewish community in Russia lives in a free, full-fledged life". US Ambassador Alexander Vershbow underlined that "there is no more the state of anti-Semitism in Russia." Participants in the forum pointed out that immigrants from the USSR had established large communities in the US and Latin America, and also "laid the foundation of Israel."