Majority of Russian Jews are not going to leave country

The overwhelming majority of Jews residing in Russia are not going to leave the country, said chief rabbi of Russia, elected by the Congress of Jewish Religious Communities and Organizations, Adolf Shayevich at a press conference in Moscow on Wednesday.

The main reason is than in contrast to the Soviet times Russia "does not have state anti-Semitism", he said. In recent year the Jewish emigration from Russia has significantly declined, the rabbi stressed.

The All-Russian population census due in October may become "a most important event for the Jewish community as it will help to receive a true picture of the number of Russian Jews", Shayevich believes. Russia is supposed to have 1 million Jews abiding by the Hebrew religious laws. Yet the number of Russian citizens with Jewish origin or considering themselves Jews "may be 2-3 times higher", the rabbi said.