Birobidzhan

Birobidzhan is the administrative center of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast in Russia, established in 1934 as a regional homeland for Jews within the Soviet Union. Located in the Russian Far East near the Chinese border, it was created to encourage Jewish cultural and economic development. The city features a mix of Russian and Jewish influences, with institutions promoting Jewish heritage, language, and traditions. While it remains a unique example of a Soviet-era Jewish autonomous region, today it is a diverse city with a small Jewish community and a focus on regional governance and development.