Moscow: A large proportion of the Jewish population is abandoning Russia amidst the fears of being prosecuted. Ever since the beginning of the war, approximately one-in-eight has been reported to be leaving the country.
 A Jewish agency that facilitates their movement to Israel stated that approximately 20,500 of Russia’s estimated total of 165,000 Jews had abandoned Russia since March, with a considerable number of Jews moving to other cities.
The Jews have feared the persecution as the historical Jewish persecution runs fresh in the minds of Jews currently living in Russia and have resorted to abandonment than being brutalised, although Moscow has really exhibited enthusiasm in uplifting the Jew communities since the fall of communism.Â
 Those at the forefront were Pinchas Goldschmidt, the city’s chief Rabbi since 1993. The Rabbi’s statement on abandoning Russia read as “We started from scratch with synagogues, schools, kindergartens, social services, teachers, rabbis and community members. But something had to be done to show my total disassociation and disagreement with this invasion of Ukraine, but I would have endangered myself if I had done that staying in Moscow.”
 The Goldschmidt, along with his family, left Russia within the first two weeks and moved to Hungary and later Israel. Following that, he stepped down from his position and spoke against the war on Ukraine.
Although he received criticism from his community for fleeing away, many also supported his decision to abandon and speak against the war, as staying back in Russia could have him killed.
Israel has been offering the rights to citizenship, as per the Law of Return, to the individuals who could prove to have at least one Jewish grandparent a. Thus, a majority of Jews abandoning Russia have preferred moving to Israel. Â
This has become the mass migration movement in Russia ever since the war against Ukraine was launched.
