The part played by Jews of biro-Bidjan in the brief war between Russia and Japan was revealed in press reports here today. The strategic position of the Jewish autonomous territory of Biro-Bidjan situated on the Russian-Japanese demarcation line gave it a special significance when the war broke out.
The Jewish medical school in Brio-Bidjan was especially helpful in supplying physicians and nurses. Since its foundation, the school has trained several hundred medical workers, the majority of whom volunteered for the Red Army units, facing the Japanese.
Concerts and performances for Russian soldiers on the front lines were given by members of the Jewish theatre of biro-Bidjan. The Jewish actors had just returned from a tour in Kazakhstan shortly before the Red Army became engaged in the war against Japan. The administration of the theatre is now receiving many messages of appreciation for concerts given before army units and in hospitals for wounded soldiers.
In addition to mobilising all their forces to help in the war against Japan, the Jews of Biro-Bidjan raised more than 5,000,000 roubles for children of front-line fighters on all fronts. A special boarding school had been established for several hundred such children in addition to summer camps maintained by the administration of the Jewish autonomous region.
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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.
