Editing Russia (section)

== Soviet Union ==
''Expanded entries - The Communist Revolution, Soviet Union''

The Soviet Union (or Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) was a superpower that existed from 11 Tevet, 5683 (December 30, 1922) until its dissolution on 9 Tevet 5752 (December 16, 1991). It was one of the world's two superpowers (along with the United States) and spanned Eastern Europe and North-Central Asia. The Soviet Union was ruled by the Communist Party and was the leader of the Eastern-Soviet bloc in the world.

Tens of millions of Jews lived in the territories belonging to the Soviet Union. In 5752 (1992), the collapse of the Communist regime led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union into several independent states. Today, the number of Jews living in these countries is estimated at a few million.

==== Restrictions on Religion ====
''Expanded entries - Yevsektsia, Arrest and Liberation of the Rebbe Rayatz, Arrest of Chassidim in 5698''

In 5677 (1917), the February Revolution broke out in Russia, overthrowing the Tsar's rule. A provisional government was established in place of the Tsarist regime until a democratic government could be formed. With the fall of the Tsar's regime, all restrictions on Jews in Russia were abolished. The provisional government wanted to convene a governmental assembly of rabbis to provide recommendations to the new authority on how to regulate the status of Jews in the country. The Rebbe Rashab worked to ensure that as many Orthodox rabbis as possible would participate in the assembly, but due to the October Revolution in which the Communists came to power, the conference was canceled.

After the second revolution, a bloody civil war ensued between the Bolsheviks and their opponents, lasting about two years. During the war, each side accused the Jews of collaborating with the other side. Hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed during this period. At that time, the Rebbe Rashab worked in every possible way to help Jewish refugees from the battles. At the end of the war, Russia united 14 other countries with Communist ideology under it, and together they were called the Soviet Union.

Upon its establishment, the Communist regime began imposing restrictions on the spread of Judaism in Russia. It became illegal to provide Jewish education to more than three children together, and compulsory education in government schools was imposed. Synagogues and mikvaos were closed by the authorities, and kosher slaughter was prohibited. To enforce these laws, the G.P.U. (Russia's secret police) established the Yevsektsia (Jewish Section), composed of Jews who had strayed from the path and tried in every way to persecute religious institutions. They closed mikvaos, locked synagogues, and spied on all religious institutions in order to arrest the Chassidim who operated religious services. Those who were arrested were sentenced to many years of exile in Siberia with hard labor, and those considered more "dangerous" were executed.

The Rebbe Rayatz sent emissaries to every possible location to open underground "cheders" with Jewish education. He also warned all Soviet Jews not to send their children to government schools due to the enormous spiritual danger involved, despite the risk of severe imprisonment and exile imposed by the authorities on those who violated the law. He also opened a network of underground yeshivas in many cities across the Soviet Union. During that period, the "Iron Curtain" was imposed, preventing any possibility of leaving the Soviet Union.

As a result of his activities, the Rebbe Rayatz was arrested on 15 Sivan 5687 (1927) and sentenced to death. Eventually, the sentence was commuted to three years of exile in Kostroma, and ultimately he was released on 12 Tammuz. This eventually led to his expulsion from Russia at the beginning of 5688 (1928).

On his first day in Riga, the Rebbe Rayatz established a committee to help Russian Jews from outside by sending money, food, and means to maintain Judaism. Within Russia, several Chassidim were appointed to manage the network of underground Talmud Torahs and Tomchei Tmimim yeshivas. The Rayatz also worked to organize shipments of matzos for Pesach and the four species for Sukkos.

In 5695 (1935), the NKVD conducted a wave of arrests in Moscow and Rostov of key figures involved in spreading Judaism. All were sentenced to three years of exile in Kazakhstan. Most survived the exile except for R. Yaakov of Skalik, whose whereabouts were lost. During the following years (5695-5699/1935-1939), there were many waves of arrests, culminating in the wave of arrests in 5698 (1938) that took place in Leningrad, in which about twenty-five Chassidim were arrested in one night, later called "the night of the ten martyrs of the kingdom." Twelve of them were executed, and the rest were sent to Siberia for many years. The families of those murdered did not know for a long time about the fate of their loved ones because they were told that they had also been exiled, and only years later were they told the bitter truth. On 9 Nissan 5699 (1939), Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, the Rebbe's father, was arrested. As a result of the arrests, many Chassidim were forced to flee from the authorities and go underground.

==== During World War II ====
'''Extended article - The Exodus from Russia 5706 (1946)'''

During World War II, many Jews fled from the frontlines to the cities of Tashkent and Samarkand, where the Yevsektsia (Jewish Section of the Communist Party) wasn't operating with the same intensity as in the interior cities of Russia. As a result, Chassidic life flourished relatively in these cities, although even there they had to maintain secrecy. During the war, there were years of material shortages and severe hunger that claimed the lives of many Anash (Chabad Chassidim) who died of starvation. During that period, the Rebbe Rayatz (Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn) was involved in sending packages to the Chassidim there, especially sending matzos for Pesach.

After World War II ended in early 5706 (1946), a rare opportunity arose to leave Russia. Russia permitted 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 buy 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" – supposedly Polish families who 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.

==== In the Seventh Generation ====
Reb Berel Levy, one of the secret shluchim (emissaries) sent by the Rebbe to Russia, with the local Chabad community

The Rebbe continuously worked in various ways to help the Jews of Russia, whose situation under Communist rule was dire. Among other things, the Rebbe established a network of agents who entered Russia's borders disguised as tourists, and through them, the Rebbe smuggled tefillin, mezuzos, and other holy items into Russia. Some shipments were transferred through Jewish collaborators who worked in various embassies in the Soviet Union. The Rebbe also established the Ezras Achim office designed to help Russian Jews.

In 5716 (1956), a number of Chabad bochurim (young men) in Russia established the organization "CHAMA," which ensured the preservation of the Jewish spark and the spreading of Yiddishkeit in the region.

On the second day of Shavuos 5724 (1964), at the end of a farbrengen, the Rebbe told the crowd to say l'chaim for the merit of Russian Jews. The crowd's response was indifferent, and after a few minutes, the Rebbe said that if they had said l'chaim for the merit of Russian Jews, they could have effected the exodus of all Jews from Russia.

On 6 Tishrei 5727 (1967), the Rebbe prophetically announced that the Soviet Union would collapse, and this would be a breakthrough and preparation for the coming of Moshiach. On Lag B'Omer 5740 (1980), at a parade, the Rebbe spoke about the permission under Russian law to study Torah and that every parent should educate their children in the way of Torah. However, the Rebbe firmly rejected overt struggle against the Russian government, such as demonstrations, which not only brought no benefit but greatly hindered activities for Russia.

The Russian government sent regular investigators to 770 to monitor the Rebbe. The Rebbe knew this and took precautionary measures.

In 5746 (1986), the Rebbe began to take practical steps toward the fall of the Communist regime. He instructed building housing developments for the many immigrants expected to come to Eretz Yisrael as a result. In 5751 (1991), the Soviet Union signed the end of the Cold War with the United States and the reduction of expenditures on weapons production. The Rebbe dedicated a special farbrengen to this, explaining that the event was a taste of the prophecy "they shall beat their swords into plowshares" that will be fulfilled in the Geulah (Redemption).

Later that year, the Soviet Union fell into an economic crisis that threatened to collapse the country. To reduce government expenses, the government agreed to give up its technical control over the annexed countries. The Soviet Union also underwent coup attempts that led to the resignation of President Mikhail Gorbachev. This caused the additional countries to declare complete separation from the Soviet Union and general elections, thus the world's largest superpower disintegrated without war. With the disintegration of the country, the Russian Federation was established, which removed the Iron Curtain and permitted the exodus of all Russian Jews. At the same time, with the disintegration of the country, all restrictions on Jews to openly conduct Jewish life were removed.

The Rebbe referred to the exodus of Russian Jews and their aliyah to Eretz Yisrael as a taste of the Geulah's promise – the ingathering of the exiles.