Professor Ze'ev Khanin, Director of the EAJC, Conducts Official Visit to the Jewish Community of Vienna

In mid-May, Professor Ze'ev Khanin, Academic Director of the Institute for Euro-Asian Jewish Studies of the EAJC, conducted a research visit to Vienna. The purpose of the trip was to implement the next stage of the comprehensive study on Jewish emigration from the former USSR over the last decade, initiated by the Congress.

The visit was organized by EAJC Vice-President Matvey Chutman. As part of the study, Professor Khanin conducted a series of in-depth interviews with experts, community leaders, activists, and representatives of various Jewish emigrant groups. Concurrently, a quantitative survey of respondents is being carried out under a specialized program focusing on identity, integration, organizational dynamics, attitudes toward Israel, and future migration plans of the new Jewish diasporas in Europe.

During the trip, Professor Khanin also delivered a lecture to members of the Russian-speaking Jewish community in Vienna. The meeting addressed Israel's current position in the Middle East, the achievements and challenges facing the Jewish state, and the characteristics of the new wave of Aliyah that began following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022. Due to high audience interest, the session, originally scheduled for one hour, lasted nearly twice as long.

Special attention during the visit was dedicated to studying the activities of the Russian-speaking Jewish Community of Vienna, established in 2016. Prior to the war in Ukraine, the community numbered approximately 800–900 members, reaching up to 1,500 including family members. Following February 2022, the community accommodated a significant number of Jewish refugees from Ukraine, effectively doubling its size.

Despite the subsequent emigration of some arrivals to other European countries, repatriation to Israel, or the return of certain families to their countries of origin, the community continues to develop actively. Its core consists of approximately 200 activists, while several hundred more regularly participate in religious, educational, and cultural programs, including Shabbatons, holidays, lectures, youth and student events, children's Sunday schools, and family projects.

According to the community's Rabbi Kolomiyets, the Russian-speaking Jewish community in Austria currently consists predominantly of individuals from Ukraine, while also including repatriates from Russia and Belarus. Despite inevitable differences in perspectives resulting from the war in Ukraine, the community has successfully maintained an atmosphere of internal unity and mutual respect. It is noted that the primary unifying principle remains the shared awareness of Jewish identity.

The materials gathered during the visit have significantly refined the understanding of the current state of Russian-speaking Jewish emigration in Central Europe and its integration patterns. The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress intends to continue its support for the research projects of the Institute.