Russian-language Publications

For centuries, Jews have been known as "the people of the Book." Text and scholarship are an integral part of Jewish religious and cultural life, and the Jewish community in the FSU is no exception. Lifelong education, particularly in the home, is a venerable Russian tradition. Russian Jews also recognize that the road to Jewish identity lies in the study of history, philosophy, and great Jewish texts.

Because Judaism was banned for so many years under the Soviet regime, there is a great thirst for knowledge. The longing for Jewish education is so strong that one teacher who did not have access to Jewish books in her small village traveled several hours by train to the nearest Jewish library and copied ? by hand ? the entire text in order to bring it home to her inquisitive students.

In an effort to make Jewish knowledge accessible to the people of the FSU, the Institute has published more than 220 high-quality volumes, including translations of Jewish classics and original publications, for Russian speakers of all ages. Perhaps the most significant endeavor of the Institute's Russian publication house is the landmark Russian translation of the Babylonian Talmud, along with Rabbi Steinsaltz's monumental commentary.

It is estimated that some 3 million Russian-language books, pamphlets and magazines have been printed and have reached hundreds of thousands of people. Nearly all other Jewish organizations in the FSU, as well as Russian-language outreach programs around the world, utilize the Institute's numerous high-quality publications.

The Institute's publication house also issues the Russian-language Avot U'Banim ("Parents and Children") magazine, which is designed to bring Jewish knowledge to the entire family. The magazine is full of games and stories for children, as well as content-rich articles and creative writing for adults. Avot U'Banim is a cornerstone of Jewish education for all ages. It has reached a circulation of nearly 30,000 and a readership of 150,000 across the FSU.

In addition to its own publications, the Institute also promotes the classic Jewish writings of others through the Judaica Library Project, its joint venture with the Russian Academy of Science.  In 1989, Rabbi Steinsaltz initiated efforts to microfilm Russia's vast holdings of Jewish books and manuscripts. Since that time, the Institute, with the help of the Jewish National Library in Jerusalem, has had over 300,000 pages microfilmed and made available to libraries around the world. The Judaica Library Project ensures that these priceless historic texts are preserved for all who seek their holy knowledge for generations to come.