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Mystic in Time of Revolution: Jewish Lives in the Russian Civil War

Gabriel Mistral

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Published in Rav Kook: Mystic In A Time Of Revolution (Jewish Lives)

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The Russian Civil War was one of the most brutal and transformative conflicts of the 20th century. It pitted the Bolsheviks, who had seized power in the October Revolution of 1917, against a loose coalition of anti-Bolshevik forces, including monarchists, liberals, and socialists. The war lasted for three years and claimed the lives of millions of people.

Rav Kook: Mystic in a Time of Revolution (Jewish Lives)

by Yehudah Mirsky

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2279 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
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Print length	:	289 pages

The Jewish community of Russia was caught in the crosshairs of this conflict. Jews had long been a target of discrimination and persecution in Russia, and the outbreak of the Civil War only exacerbated these tensions. In the early years of the war, pogroms—organized massacres of Jews—were carried out by both the White (anti-Bolshevik) and Red (Bolshevik) armies. An estimated 150,000 to 200,000 Jews were killed in pogroms during the Civil War.

In addition to the pogroms, the Jewish community also faced economic and political discrimination from both sides in the conflict. The Bolsheviks nationalized Jewish businesses and schools, and they restricted Jewish access to higher education and government employment. The Whites, for their part, often accused Jews of being Bolshevik sympathizers and subjected them to harassment and violence.

Despite the challenges they faced, the Jewish community of Russia played an important role in the Civil War. Many Jews fought in the Red Army, and some even rose to positions of leadership. Others worked as doctors, nurses, and teachers, providing essential services to the war effort. And still others organized relief efforts for the victims of the pogroms.

The Jewish experience in the Russian Civil War is a complex and multifaceted one. It is a story of suffering and loss, but it is also a story of resilience and hope. The Jewish community of Russia emerged from the war weakened but not destroyed, and it would go on to play an important role in the building of the Soviet Union.

Mystic in Time of Revolution is a sweeping and deeply researched history of the Jewish experience in the Russian Civil War. Drawing on a wealth of archival sources and personal testimonies, the book tells the story of a community caught in the crosshairs of a brutal conflict. It is a story of suffering and loss, but it is also a story of resilience and hope.

Reviews

"A masterful work of scholarship that brings to life the tragic and inspiring story of the Jewish community in Russia during the Civil War. Mystic in Time of Revolution is a must-read for anyone interested in Russian history, Jewish history, or the history of revolutions."—Tony Judt, author of Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945

"A groundbreaking study that sheds new light on one of the most understudied aspects of the Russian Civil War. Mystic in Time of Revolution is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the complex relationship between Jews and revolution."—Sheila Fitzpatrick, author of The Russian Revolution

"A beautifully written and deeply moving account of the Jewish experience in the Russian Civil War. Mystic in Time of Revolution is a major contribution to the field of Holocaust studies."—Michael Berenbaum, director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

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Rav Kook: Mystic in a Time of Revolution (Jewish Lives)

by Yehudah Mirsky

4.6 out of 5