Russia's Rabbi Alexander Boroda, President of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia, stated Friday that the Jewish community should not intervene in Russian politics.
Speaking during the Limmud FSU Moscow festival, Rabbi Boroda said, “I can understand the position of Russia and I am not enthusiastic about the attitude of the Western governments. Every administration has its own particular interests – for example the Israel government and the territories in the West Bank. It should be understood that in politics there is no absolute truth.”
Boroda added that in his opinion, “The Jewish community should not intervene in Russian politics under the leadership of [Russian President] Vladimir Putin. No one can accuse him of anti-Semitism. Putin is a perfect example of a positive attitude to the Jews. He is a man of action – and not just a talker.”
Boroda was speaking to the 2,000 participants in the 2018 annual Limmud FSU festival in Russia.
He added, “A Jewish personality in the Russian administration is not a positive phenomenon – certainly not for the Jews of Russia – because such personages tend to veer away from their Jewish identity and from the Jewish community in general. Putin, on the other hand, is very supportive of the Jewish community and for that, we should be grateful.”
With regard to anti-Semitism, Boroda said, “Anti-Semitism is not a pressing issue in Russia and not something to worry about. Russia today is one of the best places in the world for Jews to dwell in, no less than Israel or the United States. In many places in Europe, for example France and Belgium, an atmosphere of anti-Semitism is very much in evidence. Even if there are some extremist elements in Russia, the state treats them with a heavy hand and suppresses them.”
