Jewish City or Inferno of Russian Israel?

"The author’s enthusiasm for her topic is clear…Readers will find information here on Jews from Kiev in nearly every kind of endeavor, from business to the arts, and even the circus...Without any minimization of the prevalent anti-Semitism or violence, Khiterer describes well the achievements of the Jewish community...Khiterer’s work is at times as engaging as it is exhaustive, and it is hoped she will continue to remain such an amiable guide to a difficult past." ~Sean Martin, Western Reserve Historical Society, The Russian Review

“Kiev, the crown jewel of Russian Christendom, was the unexpected home of a vibrant, deep-rooted, but vulnerable Jewish community. While other scholars hone in on pogroms and anti-Semitism, Professor Khiterer expands the horizon. She tells us about Jewish social life, economics, politics, education, culture and religion. This powerful monograph gives the reader the Jewish world of Kiev with panoramic thoroughness. It will be the authoritative text for decades.” ~Brian Horowitz, Professor of Russian and Chair of Jewish Studies, Tulane University

“Kiev lay in the heart of the Jewish Pale of Settlement but until the revolution of February 1917 only restricted numbers of privileged Jews had the legal right to settle there. Nevertheless, the town also became a magnet for the impoverished Jewish masses seeking to escape the poverty of shtetl life. This compelling and well-researched monograph highlights the dual character of the town for its Jewish inhabitants—on the one hand the home of a well-established and culturally productive Jewish community, on the other the scene of constant persecution and expulsion. It is essential reading for all those interested in the evolution of Jewish life in the Tsarist Empire and in the modern world.” ~Antony Polonsky, Albert Abramson Professor of Holocaust Studies at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Brandeis University

“Such cities as Warsaw, Vilna, St. Petersburg, and Odessa usually eclipse Kiev in the Russian Jewish historical narrative. This is wrong and not fair given the significance of Kiev as a trendsetting center in Jewish cultural and political life. Victoria Khiterer’s descriptive and analytical panorama of pre-1917 Jewish Kiev helps place it into the league it belongs to.” ~Gennady Estraikh, New York University, author of In Harness: Yiddish Writers' Romance with Communism

“An indefatigable researcher, Victoria Khiterer has written the first comprehensive history of Jews in Kiev, one of the most important cities in the Russian Empire and its successor states. Her deep knowledge of the secondary literature in several languages and original research in the archives over many years have made for a riveting and important book on the long, complex history of Jews in the Ukrainian capital. Khiterer covers culture, economics, education, the press, theater, music, religious life and its politics, and the always fraught relationship between Jews and the tsarist government. This book, a major work, will be required reading for scholars, students and anyone interested in Jewish history.” ~Zvi Gitelman, Professor of Political Science and Preston R. Tisch Professor of Judaic Studies, University of Michigan

"In this model of professional and careful research and analysis, Khiterer weaves the threads of a fascinating historical tapestry of one of czarist Russia's largest communities in the traditional seat of Russian Orthodox Christianity." ~R. M. Shapiro (Brooklyn College), CHOICE (January 2017 Vol. 54 No. 5)

“Victoria Khiterer’s latest work uses vivid descriptions and detailed illustrations and mines a rich base of primary sources to explore the life of imperial Kyiv as a Jewish city. . . .the author’s use of maps, illustrations, and photographs of imperial Kyiv assists the reader in visualizing the various events that she describes in detail. The maps of Kyiv also help one comprehend the impact of the increasing segregation of Jews in the city. Each of the book’s chapters includes its own introduction and conclusion. Thus, each chapter can be assigned separately for undergraduate reading to cover different subjects. Overall, Khiterer’s work is a straightforward and engaging read; it can appeal both to experts in the fields of Jewish and Ukrainian studies and to undergraduate students." ~Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon, Lee College, East/West: Journal of Ukrainian Studies, Volume IV, No. 2 (2017)

“Jewish City or Inferno of Russian Israel is likely to remain an essential text for students of this city for generations… Khiterer’s writing style is fluid and elegant, resulting in a very readable work, well illustrated with photographs of the many Kiev personalities discussed in the book, helpful maps, and a serviceable index. She has rendered the scholarly world a great service with this detailed and important work.”

~Henry Abramson, Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas