The Jewish Autonomous Region (Еврейская автономная область) is in the Russian federal district far East. It borders the oblast Amur and to the region Khabarovsk. The river Amur forms the border to the west China.
Regions
places
Other goals
background
The area was designated as a settlement area for Russian Jews during the Soviet era under Stalin. The reason for this was not the creation of a Jewish nation state as in the West, but mainly the resettlement of numerous Jews from the European part of the Soviet Union (especially the Ukrainian SSR), who encountered widespread anti-Semitic resentment there at the time.
With the Great Terror of Stalin and especially after the establishment of Israel, many Jews left the area. The Jews were never in the majority in their Autonomous Oblast, but today they are only a tiny minority compared to the Orthodox Russians and increasingly also to the Chinese.
language
The only official language is Russian, but Yiddish is also widespread among the Jews and is now being taught again in schools.
getting there
By plane
The small Birobidzhan airport only offers feeder flights from Khabarovsk.
By train
The Trans-Siberian Railway runs through the autonomous region. Birobidzhan can be reached with the legendary Moscow-Vladivostok train, suburban trains from Khabarovsk stop in the smaller towns too.
In the street
The area can be reached via a trunk road from the direction of Khabarovsk.
Theoretically, it is also possible to travel from China (via the Amur River), but there is no fixed crossing - ferries go in summer, and in winter you have to cross an ice road.
mobility
Tourist Attractions
activities
kitchen
nightlife
security
You should prepare for extreme climates, especially in winter you need suitable clothing to protect yourself against the cold. It is helpful, whenever possible, to use local sources of information to be warned of floods, forest fires, etc. There are forbidden areas that should be avoided whenever possible.
Nature is very pristine and represents a danger for the inexperienced. If you are in the forest, you should watch out for snakes, which usually warm up in the sun on the stones. There aren't many of them around, but some could be venomous vipers. The other problem these (and other regions of the Northern Hemisphere) have is ticks. Your bites may be infectious, vaccinations are recommended.
You should never stray further from human settlements without the appropriate equipment and leave a path, destination and intended period of the hike or rafting tour behind with every tour.
climate
literature
Web links
http://www.eao.ru/ - Official website of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast
