BThe senior rabbi of Moscow Pinchas Goldschmidt stated about the FSB’s attempt to recruit him in 2003. Goldschmidt stated that an FSB officer tried to recruit him in 2003. Later, such attempts were repeated twice, the former rabbi of Moscow pointed out. He left Russia last year
Pinchas Goldschmidt
The former chief rabbi of Moscow, Pinchas Goldschmidt, who left Russia last year, said the FSB was trying to recruit him and other representatives of the Jewish community. The rabbi wrote about this in a column for Foreign Policy.
Goldschmidt said that his first conversation with FSB officers took place in 2003. They stated that Goldschmidt, being a Swiss citizen, used a multiple-entry business visa to stay in Russia, which is illegal, said the former chief rabbi of Moscow.
“They were ready to turn a blind eye to this issue if I started reporting to them. They forced me to sign something, but I categorically refused, saying that it was contrary to Jewish law to inform on others,” he said.
According to Goldschmidt, later an FSB officer came two more times and tried to convince him to cooperate with him. In 2005, after traveling abroad, the rabbi was not allowed into Russia, which he personally associates with the refusal to cooperate with the special services.
Goldschmidt writes that he was eventually able to return after the intervention of then Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. “I am aware of numerous attempts to recruit my colleagues in the Jewish community in the following years,” he said.
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The former chief rabbi of Moscow said that he left Russia two weeks after the start of the military operation in Ukraine, first to Europe, and then to Israel: Goldschmidt realized that he would be pressured and express disagreement against Russia’s actions in Ukraine “was very dangerous”.
RBC has contacted the FSB Public Relations Center for comment.
Goldschmidt left the post of chief rabbi of Moscow last July. The press secretary of the Moscow Jewish Religious Community (MERO) Olga Yesaulova explained this by the completion of his contract. Goldschmidt’s departure became known last May. He then explained that he had left for Israel because of his father’s illness and could not “fully fulfill his duties”. David Yushuvaev was appointed acting Chief rabbi of the capital.
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