Virtually wholesale conversions to Judaism are taking place in Russia. The number of Christian young women who are embracing Judaism in order to marry Jews is particularly large, according to reports at a rabbinical conference held here. One Jewish minister, Rabbi Mase declared at the conference that he alone had officiated at the marriages of 367 of such Russian converts to Judaism.
The conference at which this situation was discussed was called by the Russian rabis to devise means to combat the anti-religion campaign of the Jewish communists. According to the rabbis, the Jewish communists are barring every Jew going through a religious wedding ceremony from membership in the party. Nevertheless, a large number are availing themselves of the religious rites, it is said.
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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.