World War II: Difference between revisions

Another reason for the easing of persecution was rooted in the escape of Anash to Asiatic Russia, where the atmosphere toward religion was less hostile from the start due to the local Muslim population.

While before the war, Anash were concentrated in central Russia in cities like Moscow, Malakhovka, and Leningrad, during the war, as the Germans penetrated deep into Russian territory, most Anash fled to the depths of Asiatic Russia. Most Anash immigrated to Uzbekistan and concentrated mainly in the cities of Samarkand and Tashkent, and some to Kazakhstan and Georgia. In these places, the chassidim found relative peace and stability.

Besides the significance this had for the established Chabad community, it had an enormous impact on the Bucharian communities in those cities, and many of them became Chabad chassidim.

Many people who before the war lived in Poland and other countries wandered during the war (due to escape, exile to Siberia, joining the Red Army, and more) within Russia's borders. Even people who lived in Russia itself wandered extensively during the war. Being in proximity to Chabad chassidim (and the fact that they were the only ones offering religious services, yeshivas, and cheders for children) exposed them to the world of chassidus, and some became Chabad chassidim. Among these were Reb Shlomo Maidanchik, Reb Yitzchak Springer, the family of the Rebbe of Sedlitz, and many others.

A broader article on this topic exists - "The Russian Exodus of 1946"

At the end of the war, many chassidim left in the Russian Exodus. Since thousands of Polish citizens remained in Russia due to the war, the Russian government permitted all Polish citizens to leave Russia. Many Chabad chassidim took advantage of this opportunity and forged Polish passports to leave Russia.

Until the Russian Exodus of 1946-47, most Chabad chassidim were in Russia. Since then, it became possible to establish the foundation for many Chabad communities worldwide. Chabad in France was built from these refugees who arrived in France after their stay in the 'Pocking' refugee camp. The Rebbe established the 'Lishka' for them then. In Eretz Yisrael, there was already a Chabad community before this, but the establishment of Kfar Chabad was based on these refugees.