Russia’s Chief Rabbi sharply criticized Patrushev’s assistant’s article on Ukraine

October 26 was published article by Assistant Secretary of the Security Council Alexei Pavlov about “neopagan cults” in Ukraine, in which he argues that since the 1990s, many “adherents of religious sects” have appeared on the territory of the country. He also touched on a branch of Judaism called Lubavo Hasidism, calling it a “sect” and stating that the main principle of its supporters is superiority “over all nations and peoples.” Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar criticized the article, stressing that its theses offend “millions of believing Jews in Russia.”

In a statement that reports the publication “Lechaim”, Lazar noted that the Lubavitcher Hasidim and the Chabad religious movement are not a sect, but are legitimate schools of Judaism. In addition, the chief rabbi of Russia clarified that he himself belongs to this direction, and about 90% of the rabbis who work in the Jewish communities of Russia also belong to it. According to him, the Chabad ideology, on the contrary, postulates respect for all religions that preach faith in one God, for all peoples and every person.

Lazar also added that Pavlov’s words could be considered “vulgar anti-Semitic nonsense and squeamishly pass by,” but the post of chief rabbi of Russia did not allow him to do this. He issued an appeal to society and the Russian authorities to respond “to new rehashings of old bloody libels.”