Retrospective and afterological considerations of the contemporary Russian-speaking Jewish diaspora: Whence and whither?

This article reviews the transformations undergone by Russian- speaking Jews over the past half century, and how these have been portrayed in key scholarly texts. It analyzes the representation of Soviet Jews first as a people of silence, then as new immigrants in Israel and North America, and, most recently, as a globalized community or worldwide diaspora. But rather than accepting these identity transformations as a fait accompli, the article problematizes their present meanings and ponders future trends.