The new project was introduced during a roundtable panel titled “Russian-speaking and Other Jews of Eastern Europe and Asia: Location, Demographics, and Unexplored Areas of Research.” The discussion was moderated by Prof. Ze'ev Khanin, Chairman of the EAJC Academic Board, and Dr. Chaim Ben-Yakov, Executive Director of the Institute.

While Israel, the United States, and Western Europe constitute the world's primary Jewish population centers today, hundreds of thousands of Jews and their family members still reside in the post-Soviet states, Eastern Europe, and the Balkans—the historical homelands of these major diaspora communities. This predominantly Russian-speaking segment of the global Jewish diaspora represents its most dynamic and mobile element. It serves not only as the primary source of Aliyah to Israel, but also as perhaps the final significant resource for the demographic, cultural, economic, and political revitalisation of Western Jewish communities.
The necessity for systematic academic and applied analysis of these demographic shifts is clear. In partnership with other academic and professional institutions, the Institute for Euro-Asian and Russian-Jewish Studies aims to address this need. The Institute is envisioned as a platform for scholarly and professional exchange among leading experts on Jewish communities in the CIS, Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and Western, Central, and Eastern Asia.

Following the roundtable, Dr. Chaim Ben-Yakov delivered a lecture titled “The Question of Dual Loyalty Among Jews: Euro-Asian and Global Contexts.”

Dual loyalty typically implies that a Jewish individual supports Israel regardless of their country of residence. Conversely, the Talmudic principle of Dina de-malkhuta dina (“the law of the land is the law”) is often interpreted as requiring Jewish citizens to remain loyal to their host country. In this context, we examine the identity of Soviet Jews, balancing their patriotism toward the USSR with their commitment to Israel. This phenomenon remains highly relevant today, as Jewish citizens of post-Soviet states frequently maintain dual allegiances, demonstrating patriotism toward their home countries while actively supporting the State of Israel. Read article