Discover the Unique World of the Subbotnik Community

Have you ever come across a "Subbotnik"?

The Subbotniks are a community identifying themselves as part of the Jewish people. Residing in Russia, their community consists of around ten thousand members. Their name derives from "Shabbat"—because they observe Shabbat, they are called "Subbotniks."

While some are entirely non-Jewish, attracted to the concept of Shabbat, others have taken it seriously and undergone conversion. Prior to the Holocaust, their numbers reached tens of thousands, leading to religious legal discussions. Rabbi Yehuda Leib Zirelson of Kishinev ruled that only those who had properly converted are considered Jewish, while the others, despite being called "converts," cannot be regarded as Jews.

Many immigrated to Israel before its establishment. Among the famous ones are the guardian Alexander Zeid and the playwright Yehoshua Sobol. Rabbi Kook revisited the topic, declaring they are not Jews unless they convert again according to religious law.

Despite being considered non-Jews by Jewish law, some strictly observe Jewish commandments. In the Romanian city of Budowfaw, there was a large Subbotnik community with a grand synagogue, mikveh, and Jewish school. During the Nazi rise to power, the Romanians offered them the chance to declare themselves non-Jews and abandon Jewish practices, but they chose to remain identified as Jews and were sent to concentration camps.

During the reign of the tyrant Ceaușescu, their town was flooded by a man-made lake, effectively erasing their community's existence.