Vyacheslav Volodin
Chairman of the state Duma Vyacheslav Volodin considers that the Russian society is in many ways more tolerant than the West, but it needs to continue to improve and strengthen the unity between different nationalities and faiths. This view he expressed during a visit to the Jewish Museum and tolerance center in Moscow, RIA Novosti reported on Monday, April 10.
According to Volodina, many things are learned in comparison. “Today, we see that we have the problems that they [Western countries] are concerned about, objectively less,” he said.
Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, who along with the President of the Federation of Jewish communities of Russia Alexander Boroda gave a tour of the Museum exhibits to Volodin, in turn, called Russia the unique country from the point of view of interfaith relations. “In a world of almost nowhere [no place], where religious leaders live so peaceful and so United,” said Lazar.
Earlier on Monday, Russian leader Vladimir Putin congratulated the Jewish Passover, which is dedicated to the most important milestone in the history of the Jewish people — the Exodus from Egypt and liberation from 400 years of slavery. He noted that the Russian community is making a significant contribution “in strengthening interethnic and interfaith peace in the country, is actively involved in the education of youth.”
On 9 February, the chief Rabbi of Moscow Pinchas Goldschmidt called on the authorities to actively illuminate in Russian education the Holocaust, including organizing visits of students to the former concentration camps and places of mass executions of Jews. Such events, he said, will help the young generation to better grasp the principle of tolerance and anti-racism.