The song links the Soviet Union antisemitism to hatred of Israel and Jews now.

The old and funny song from 50 years ago helped to link the former Soviet Union antisemitism to the present day’s hatred of Jews in Europe, US and Canada.

An e-mail containing a song, which was composed a half a century ago in the former Soviet Union, has triggered memories in me, a Jewish emigrant from now vanished Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), of the distant times and events. While listening to the song, which depicted the vitriolic antisemitism of the communist government of USSR, the words of the song carry sense of masterful sarcasm with the main objective for the listeners to have fun. I was laughing hysterically listening to the song. But when one person pointed to me that the events and situations depicted in the song has a strong connection to our present time and lives- the connection represented by the never-ending plague of antisemitism. It does not matter it was sponsored by the failed communist regime of Russia or allowed now by the progressivism of the governments of liberal democracies of the West- the connection is there.

On Fridays, it is a tradition for me to send e-mails to many people to congratulate them on the approaching of the Jewish holiest day of the week, Sabbat (we welcome its comings by stating ‘Sabbat Shalom’ which means a wish for a peaceful Sabbat) and, as usual, I am rewarded with the congratulative responses from the same people.

Last Friday, a relative of mine from Germany, sent an e-mail with Sabbat Shalom and also added another e-mail containing the mentioned above song.

Now to the essence of the song.

There was always in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, in some republics more than others, the proclivity towards antisemitic bias. After Israeli victory in the six-day war over Arabs in 1967, the attitude of the Soviet Union toward Israel had changed dramatically because USSR was the official sponsor and supplier of weaponry to Israeli defeated neighbors. The antisemitism from unofficial bias jumped to the official government policy of the Communist Party of USSR of virulent hatred of Israel and, consequently, to the suspicion that all Jewish people are sympathizers of the State of Israel.

The above situation had negatively affected the prospects of Jews being hired and it also was undermining their chances of promotion to a higher position in the organizations they were employed. The Jewish young adults were prevented from admission to certain school of higher learning. Therefore, Jewish people were trying to find the ways not to be identifies as Jews. One of the methods to avoid to be recognized as Jews was for the person to change his/her last name. Many people with Jewish sounding last names, such as Rabinovitch, Katz and so on, were changing to Russian sounding family names. But the officials in the Soviet Union human resources factories and designing or research institutions were on guard and often deciphered the evasive maneuver of the Jews. They were refusing to hire Jews or accepting Jewish kids to the prestigious schools. The Jewish people took it a step further. They were changing their first names as well. This is the essence of the song mentioned above-it was presenting the serious situation of official government antisemitism in the spirit of good humor.

It is necessary to note that the phenomenon described above, of Jews changing their last and first names, was present going back to the beginnings of USSR and even to the time of Russian Czarist Empire. As an example: a Jew, Lev Davidovich Bronstein, became Trotsky, one of the leading figures in Russian revolution of 1917.

As I wrote before, I was laughing after listening to the song and enjoying its jocular, witty and amusing content and decided to share it with my friends and relatives. One of the responses to my e-mail had change completely my superficial and amusing attitude to the content of the song. The relative, who lives in Russian Federation, made a connection between the antisemitism depicted in the song to the present day’s rise of antagonism towards the Jews in the Western world. He stated that many of his acquaintances who live in countries such as UK, France, Germany and in the other countries of Europe and, also in New York, were telling that in the last several years situation with the antisemitism is getting just unbearable, specially in France. Many of them are returning back home to avoid the atmosphere of hostility towards the Jews. He was asking how is the situation with the antisemitism here in Canada where we are living?

I answered that the issue of the antisemitism in Canada is not as serious as he describes the situation in Europe but it gets worse with each year.

Confirmation of the worsening of the live for the Jews of Canada came today, on May 25, 2025.

“Today (Sunday) anti-Israel organizations in Canada are planning to hold protests and demonstrations… in opposition to rallies in support of Israel” says notice issued by Israeli’s National Security Council. It’s worthwhile to note that Canadian Jewish organizations have hosted the Walk with Israel event for more than fifty years.

The Israelis, in the same official warning, emphasize that speeches of anti-Israeli groups in relation to events organized by the Jewish organizations such as a Walk with Israel, becoming more hostile and radical which can only lead to ugly violence towards Israel and harm to Canadian Jews.

And why would not the Islamist radicals feeling safe to propagate their poisonous hatred of Canadian Jews and Israel, when the Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, issued a joint statement with Prime Minister of UK Starmer and President of France Macron, threating to impose sanctions on Israel, the country fighting an existential war with Hamas. Mark Carney continues to follow the hypocritical and duplicitous policies toward Israel of his predecessor, Justin Trudeau.