Discover the Unique World of the Subbotnik Community

Have you ever heard of the Subbotniks?

The Subbotniks are a community that identifies itself as part of the Jewish people. They live primarily in Russia, and their population numbers around ten thousand members. Their name is derived from the word Shabbat; because they observe Shabbat, they are called “Subbotniks.”

Some members of the community are entirely non-Jewish and were drawn to the idea of Shabbat, while others took this commitment further and underwent formal conversion. Before the Holocaust, their numbers reached tens of thousands, which led to significant halachic debate. Rabbi Yehuda Leib Zirelson of Kishinev ruled that only those who had properly converted could be considered Jewish, while the others—despite being referred to as “converts”—cannot be regarded as Jews.

Many Subbotniks immigrated to Israel before the establishment of the state. Among the well-known figures from this community are the guard Alexander Zeid and the playwright Yehoshua Sobol. Rabbi Kook later revisited the issue and ruled that they are not considered Jews unless they convert again in accordance with halachic law.

Despite being regarded as non-Jews according to Jewish law, some Subbotniks strictly observed Jewish commandments. In the Romanian city of Budowfaw, there was once a large Subbotnik community with a grand synagogue, a mikveh, and a Jewish school. With the rise of the Nazis, Romanian authorities offered them the opportunity to declare themselves non-Jews and abandon Jewish practices. They refused, chose to remain identified as Jews, and were ultimately sent to concentration camps.

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