Last Thursday, attorneys from the Russian State Prosecutor’s Office questioned Rabbi Zinovy Kogan, chairman of the Congress of Jewish Organizations – one of the two large Jewish umbrella organizations in Russiagan was asked to explain the contents of Shulhan Arukh – the code of Jewish halakhic law compiled in the 16th century – to ascertain whether it constitutes racist incitement and anti-Russian material, especially regarding its treatment of non-Jews.
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The inquiry was launched following a letter signed by 500 public figures, including some 20 members of the nationalist Rodina party, urging the state prosecutor to outlaw the Jewish religion and all the Jewish organizations operating in Russia.
The prosecutor rejected requests of Jewish organizations to open an investigation into those who had initiated the letter.