Editing Soviet Union (section)

== The Exodus from Russia ==
'''Extended article – The Exodus from Russia 5706 (1946)'''

After World War II ended at the beginning of the year 5706 (1946), a rare opportunity arose to leave Russia. Russia allowed all Polish refugees to return to their country, as well as Russians who were married to Poles. The Chassidim identified the potential in this opportunity – it was possible to forge documents or purchase passports of Poles who had died or been exiled to Siberia and use them to leave Russia. The Russian government preferred to ignore the forgery industry so as not to publicize the fact that many Poles had died in Russia. After receiving approval from the [[Rebbe Rayatz]], a special committee was established to organize documents for Chassidim so they could leave Russia. The method was to "assemble families" – allegedly Polish families that would leave the country in groups. Indeed, most of the Chassidim managed to leave Russia, but the last group that tried to leave was caught, and all its members were arrested and exiled to Siberia, among them was [[Reb Mendel Futerfas]]. The Chassidim who left Russia arrived in Germany and from there to New York and Eretz Yisrael.

During that period under Communist rule, many were murdered, thousands were exiled, and tens of thousands were imprisoned for studying Torah and observing mitzvos. Even after 5707 (1947), a large number of Chassidim remained in Russia. A small portion of them only left after the fall of the Iron Curtain.