Jewish leaders in Ivanovo say they cannot find a new rabbi because of anti-Semitic attacks in the city.
The website Jewish.ru reported that local leaders complained of the problem in a recent public forum.
Ervin Kirshtein, head of the local Jewish community, said several people armed with gas-powered pistols, bottles and knives attacked a group of community members showing a new potential rabbi around the city.
“There were five of us, including an eight-month-old baby,” Kirshtein said. “To the credit of this city, some people driving by jumped out of their cars and drove them off of us. Members of the community followed them and took them to the police.”
Kirshtein went on to attribute the problem to a lack of police intervention in a series of provocations aimed at the community, going back some two years.
“Fascist groups exist in this city, they need to be stamped out,” said Kirshtein. “Unfortunately, there is no real action taken against them.”
