You gotta love mother Russia. Russian Jews miss a lot about Russia -- her limitless space, birch trees, rye bread, steam bath, Russian literature. We miss the land and her people. Sometimes we miss Russia more, sometimes less. If you were prone to bouts of nostalgia, meet a prominent member of the Russian cultural elite -- sculptor Vyacheslav Klykov. You will miss all of the above significantly less. Thank you, Vyacheslav.
Representatives of Russia’s Jewish community have protested against a statue depicting a mediaeval prince trampling on a Star of David. Nevertheless Jewish leaders in the country believe that anti-Semitism is not a major problem in Russia.
The Federation of Russian Jewish communities (FEOR) protested Monday against a new monument in the southern Russian city of Belgorod showing a mediaeval prince trampling on a Star of David.
The monument, which depicts the Russian prince on horseback crushing the shield of a Khazar warrior emblazoned with the symbol of Judaism, is "a provocation that deforms history", FEOR said in a statement.
Many Khazars converted to Judaism, which became the official religion, but they also adopted Islam and Christianity in different periods of the empire’s history.
Symbol of Pamyat
"The Federation believes the installation of the monument is a provocation which does not only distort history, but also makes an extremely negative impact on the present," reads the Federation’s statement.
The sculptor behind the monument, Vyacheslav Klykov, was "known for his anti-Semitic views" and "rewrites history as he pleases", FEOR said.
Klykov is among the signatories of the notorious letter of 500, which among other anti-Semitic statements, read: " It can be said that today the whole democratic world is under financial and political control of the international Jewry, which is a point of pride for prominent bankers."
The sculptor is also a member of the Russian ultra-nationalist organisation, Pamyat, which identifies “with the People’s national patriotic orthodox Christian movement."
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We too have a picture for Vyacheslav.
Israeli airplanes of the type used to bomb Ozirak nuclear reactor near Baghdad.
Vyacheslav, get yourself a history book, those were Khazars after all. It will be much harder with the Jews.
posted by: jrtelegraph
This is outrageous. And not only the sculptor himself is in fault, but people who allowed this openly anti-Semitic sculpture to be installed on the city property.
Posted by: Helena Vaks | November 28, 2005 at 02:14 PM