Metadata: Minsk Regional Plenipotentiary of the Council on Religious Cults of the USSR Council of People’s Commissars
Collection
- Country:
- Belarus
- Holding institution:
- State Archives of Minsk Region
- Holding institution (official language):
- Государственный архив Минской области
- Postal address:
- ul. Kozlova, 26, Minsk, 220037
- Phone number:
- +375 (17) 358 55 64
- Web address:
- www.gamn.by
- Email:
- minoblarhiv@gmail.com
- Reference number:
- F. 3651
- Title:
- Minsk Regional Plenipotentiary of the Council on Religious Cults of the USSR Council of People’s Commissars
- Title (official language):
- УПОЛНОМОЧЕННЫЙ СОВЕТА ПО ДЕЛАМ РЕЛИГИОЗНЫХ КУЛЬТОВ ПРИ СОВЕТЕ НАРОДНЫХ КОМИССАРОВ СССР ПО МИНСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ
- Creator/accumulator:
- Minsk Regional Plenipotentiary of the Council on Religious Cults of the USSR Council of People’s Commissars
- Date(s):
- 1944/1965
- Language:
- Russian
- Extent:
- 58 archival storage units
- Type of material:
- Textual material
- Scope and content:
-
The fonds contains a significant quantity of materials pertaining to Jewish religious life in Minsk and the Minsk region; these may be provisionally divided into the following thematic groups:
1. Reports, memoranda, and documents of the plenipotentiary F I Sazonov contain statistical and general information about Jewish religious communities of Minsk and the Minsk region, including data on the number of registered synagogues and houses of worship as of 1929, 1940, 1949, and 1965; documents from 1965 contain data on the number of rabbis, shameses and members of Jewish communities from 1917-65, including a description of a synagogue that was in operation at 109 Tsna Street in Minsk and of its thirty-member congregation, where services were conducted by L A Fin, “who is not a rabbi” (1965). These materials also contain information about the existence in 1965 of unregistered groups of Jewish worshippers in the cities of Slutsk, Borisov, Cherven’ and Minsk (1960-65).
These reports also provide information on Jewish religious holidays; on “the religious ritual of shechita” and the purchase of kosher meat; and on the shipment of religious literature from Moscow, and of parcels with matzah from relatives in Israel, the US, Canada and England (1965).
In addition, the fonds contains reports on foreigners’ visits to Minsk Jewish congregations, including a letter about a conversation between F I Sazonov and S Fried, chair of the Minsk Society of Jews, regarding visits to the Minsk synagogue by representatives of Israel (1958).
2. Correspondence of the Minsk regional plenipotentiary with members of the Minsk Jewish religious community on the removal of A Ia Berger from the post of rabbi and the reelection of the community leadership, as well as a report by A. Ia. Berger on the election of a new “twenty” (founders’ council) (1955); on the issue of expanding the synagogue’s accommodations, with an appended application by the board of the Jewish religious community regarding expansion of the synagogue (the building of which was partially occupied by private tenants), and a certificate from the Minsk Regional Executive Committee granting the Jewish religious community permission to purchase part of the building’s residential section for this purpose (1957); on the arrival in Minsk, “on his own initiative,” of A A Persin, rabbi of the Penza Jewish house of worship, and on his registration as rabbi of the Minsk synagogue (1958); a letter from V Iaroshevich, chief plenipotentiary of the Council on Religious Cults of the BSSR Council of Ministers, on sending Jewish calendars, with appended schedules of Jewish religious holidays for 1958-59; etc.
- Administrative/biographical history:
-
The USSR Council of People’s Commissars established its Council on Religious Cults pursuant to decree no. 572 (29 May 1944) “On organising the Council on Religious Cults”. Directly subordinate to this council was its plenipotentiary for the BSSR, to whom, in turn, answered council plenipotentiaries in the various regions of the republic, including the Minsk region. The Council on Religious Cults’ plenipotentiary for the Minsk region monitored the regional and district authorities’ compliance with Soviet legislation vis-à-vis the clergy, religious associations and believers; registered and kept records on all active religious communities; provided detailed descriptions of the “state of religion” in the region; monitored the finances of religious societies and houses of worship; and compiled information reports, and memoranda for higher authorities.
The post of Minsk regional plenipotentiary of the Council on Religious Cults of the USSR Council of People’s Commissars was abolished in 1965 when the USSR Council of People’s Ministers established its Council on Religious Affairs and the posts of BSSR plenipotentiaries thereof.
- Access points: persons/families:
- Berger, A Ia
- Persin, A A
- System of arrangement:
- The fonds comprises two inventories (main and supplemental), arranged chronologically.
- Finding aids:
- Inventories are available.
- Yerusha Network member:
- Jewish Theological Seminary
