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The Russian-Jewish Immigrant Community of
Philadelphia
(April 1999)
Shalom! Greetings from the House of the Risen Son
Messianic Fellowship! This month I'd like to tell you a little bit
about the Russian-Jewish immigrant community of Northeast Philadelphia.
There are 30,000 to 60,000 Russian-speaking immigrants
who live in our area. They have been coming in a steady flow over
the past 25 years. Some 20% are ethnically Russian or Ukrainian
- the others are Jewish or part Jewish, usually from Ukraine or
Moscow. More than 1,000 Russian-speaking immigrants per year continue
to come to Philadelphia. This stream has resulted in a community
with an even age distribution between young and old.
Jewishness for most is a matter of nationality,
not religion. (Remember, for 70 years synagogues were closed in
the Soviet Union.) Culturally, Russian Jews feel more in tune with
music and traditions that are Russian and Soviet rather than Jewish
or Israeli. Maybe you can start to see why Russian Jews are treated
with some suspicion in the broader American Jewish community...
You can meet Russian Jews all over, but they are
concentrated along the Bustleton Avenue corridor of Northeast Philly
and Bucks County. I estimate that Russian Jews make up 8 to 20%
of the total population in the Bustleton corridor (surprise)! Keep
you ear out for Russian in the streets and stores if you're in the
area.
It's sad to say, but the Russian Jewish people of
Philadelphia are nearly invisible to Christians. I would say that
there are only about 20 to 50 Russian Jewish Messianic believers
in our area. That's about one in a thousand. You might find two
or three at different churches around the area. But most of this
handful of folks don't go to church at all, though they accepted
Messiah Jesus at some point. The problem here is that there is no
congregation especially for them, where they can grow in the Lord
and in fellowship with believers like them.
God is opening doors for this ministry. Will you
please help us with your prayers? Please pray that the good news
of Jesus would come to Russian Jewish people in a powerful way,
that new believers would grow in discipleship and in numbers, and
that God would guide us to plant a congregation where Russian Jewish
believers can take joy in the Lord and in each other's fellowship.
With Glory to Our Risen Messiah!
Marko Malyj
Congregational Planter, New Life Northeast Presbyterian Church
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