Former Soviet Union

The war in Israel is in a lull, but Jewish soldiers are still fighting in Ukraine

Chernetsky says he continued fighting so that no one would say that Jews didn't fight.

|ByMICHAEL STARR
One of the Jewish soldiers fighting in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Kazbek Kokov, head of the North Caucasus region of Kabardino-Balkaria, in Moscow, Russia December 16, 2025.

Putin establishes Soviet genocide memorial day, erasing Jewish victims of Nazis

The bill - and subsequent reporting - speaks extensively about the "genocide" of Soviet prisoners, the concentration camps, and the extermination camps, without mentioning Jewish victims.

|ByMATHILDA HELLER
FILE PHOTO: Protesters shout slogans during a demonstration following the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran, in Istanbul, Turkey, October 2, 2022.

Protests shake Iran: The US must choose its next move wisely - opinion

Tehran’s streets erupt with defiance. Will Washington support change or repeat past mistakes with Iran’s regime?

|ByYONI MICHANIE
Then-President Shimon Peres (L) and then-president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev raise a toast at the reception at the President’s Residence in Astana during Peres’s visit to Kazakhstan in 2009.

Stan’s the name: Inside Israel’s growing partnerships across Central Asia

From energy and agriculture to security and tourism, Israel’s ties with the Central Asian 'Stans' are ever-expanding.

|ByALEX WINSTON

2023 sees 434% increase in aliyah from the former Soviet Union - Jewish Agency

This stark increase is accompanied by a decrease in aliyah from western countries.

MARCH 14, 2023ByZVIKA KLEIN
UKRAINIAN OLIM arrive at Ben-Gurion Airport last month.

Purim 1953 in the USSR: When Joseph Stalin had his fatal stroke

Joseph Stalin had a stroke and collapsed in his dacha on Purim, March 1, 1953, possibly assisted by someone in his inner circle. He died four days later.

MARCH 11, 2023ByLARRY PFEFFER
A photograph of Stalin taken in 1937.

Russia replacing armor losses with 1960s Soviet tanks -UK intel

Russian tank divisions are being provided with old T-62 main battle tanks, including units in the 1st Guards Tank Army, which the UK described as supposedly being "Russia's premier tank force."

MARCH 6, 2023ByMICHAEL STARR
A tank of pro-Russian troops drives along a road near burnt-out residential buildings in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 5, 2022.

Grapevine February 22, 2023: A matter of timing

Movers and shakers in Israeli society.

FEBRUARY 22, 2023ByGREER FAY CASHMAN
Irwin Cotler, Canada’s new Special Envoy for Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism.

Aliyah from Russia still high: More than 5,000 immigrants in January

The number of immigrants from Russia isn't coming down - in fact, this January saw the second most immigrants in a month since the war broke out.

FEBRUARY 21, 2023ByZVIKA KLEIN
New immigrants from USA and Canada arrive on a special " Aliyah Flight 2016" on behalf of Nefesh B'Nefesh organization, at Ben Gurion airport in central Israel on August 17, 2016,

The hidden aliyah crisis

For everyone who cares about this country and recognizes how vital immigration is to its future, we need to roll up our sleeves and get to work, and do our part to tackle the aliyah crisis.

FEBRUARY 11, 2023ByMICHAEL FREUND
NEW ‘OLIM’ from North America arrive on an ‘aliyah flight’ arranged by Nefesh B’Nefesh.

Man arrested in shooting at San Francisco Jewish center, charged with drawing imitation firearm

A 51-year-old man, with antisemitic social media posts, has been arrested in relation to the incident.

FEBRUARY 7, 2023ByPHILISSA CRAMER/JTA
FBI agents work outside the home of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi where her husband Paul Pelosi was violently assaulted after a break-in at their house, according to a statement from her office, in San Francisco, California, US, October 28, 2022.

Israeli aliyah panel head slams minister's push to favor US, French olim

Yisrael Beytenu MK Oded Forer on prioritizing immigrants to Israel from France and the US: "Such discrimination by origin has never been done."

FEBRUARY 5, 2023ByZVIKA KLEIN
Oded Forer at the Presidential Meeting

Israel wants more Western immigrants - aliyah minister

IMMIGRATION AFFAIRS: Israeli Aliyah Minister Ofir Sofer plans to put an emphasis on immigrants from the US and France.

FEBRUARY 3, 2023ByZVIKA KLEIN
ALIYAH AND INTEGRATION Minister Ofir Sofer: There is an assumption that olim from financially established countries don’t need any support or assistance. That isn’t true.

Israel's Law of Return won't change overnight, Diaspora minister stresses

Chikli stressed that the Grandchild Clause is not about to be canceled, rather a committee would be set up to deal with the topic.

JANUARY 20, 2023ByZVIKA KLEIN
Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli.