Performers from Russia, the United States and Israel have kicked off an anti-fascist festival in Moscow.
The performance, held last week at Moscow’s giant Olympic Sports Complex, timed to coincide with the 51st anniversary of the state of Israel, launched a nine- day festival named after Solomon Mikhoels, a Russian Jewish actor murdered in 1948 at Stalin’s orders.
The festival comes as Russian faces a surge of anti-Semitism that began after the collapse of the its economy last August.
The cross-cultural spirit of the festival was highlighted at the kickoff event by such diverse performers as the popular Russian Jewish singer Josef Kobzon, American singer Art Garfunkel and a Jewish rapper named Remedy, whose records on the subject of the Holocaust sold millions of copies worldwide.
Mikhoels’s death in a mysterious car accident signaled the start of an anti- Semitic campaign that resulted in the murders of many leading Jewish intellectuals in the final years of Stalin’s reign.
In addition to fighting fascism, the festival also seeks to raise the status of Jewish culture in Russia, said Mikhail Gluz, a Russian Jewish composer and musical producer who organized the event.
The festival is scheduled to include the premieres of several dramas on Jewish- related themes directed by Russians, as well as the first-ever Russian klezmer competition.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
