Birobidzhan is the capital and largest city of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast in Russia. It is located on the banks of the Bira River, about 80 kilometers from the Chinese border. The city was founded in 1928 as a center for Jewish settlement in the Soviet Union. Today, Birobidzhan is home to about 70,000 people, including a significant Jewish population.
The name “Birobidzhan” comes from the names of the two rivers that meet near the city: the Bira and the Bidzhan. The stress in the name is on the third syllable, so it is pronounced “bee-roh-bee-DZHAHN.” Birobidzhan holds various cultural and historical significance as a center of Jewish culture and a testament to the Soviet Union’s attempts to create a Jewish homeland within its borders. Despite facing challenges and population decline in recent years, Birobidzhan remains an important symbol of Jewish identity and history.
