May 7, 1934, the Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee was adopted, which created the Jewish Autonomous Okrug. Its status was assigned to the Birobidzhan region.
History of Appearance
The territory of the Amur region has long been inhabited by independent tribes with a small number. These were Tunguses, Daurs and Duchers. The Russian people began to develop these lands only from the middle of the 17th century. The impetus for this was the campaign of Vasily Poyarkov, which took place in June 1644. Erofei Khabarov consolidated Russian influence in the Amur region. After his campaigns, these lands began to gradually join the Russian state.
After the revolution of 1917, the new government decided to involve the Jewish population of the country in productive labor and began to look for a territory for them to live. The leaders of the USSR came up with a plan according to which the Jewish Autonomous Okrug was to be created. This decision, among other things, had a political aspect. The creation of such an autonomous region was supposed to improve relations with the West, which at that time did not recognize the young state. In addition, the development of the territories of the Far East was necessary for the USSR, which was seriously threatened by the Japanese.
The resolution on the settlement of Jews on the free lands of the Amur region was adopted on March 28, 1928 by the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee. On August 20, 1930, the same body of Soviet power passed a decision on the formation of the Birobidzhansky district, which is part of the Far Eastern Territory. Tikhonkaya station became the center of this administrative unit. In 1931 it was renamed into the village of Birobidzhan. Somewhat later, the status of the district was changed. The Jewish Autonomous Okrug was created on its territory. Legislatively, this decision was fixed on May 7, 1934 by the Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the USSR.
Geography
The Jewish Autonomous Okrug is located in the southern part of the Russian Far East. In its western part, it is adjacent to the Amur Region, and in the eastern part, to the Khabarovsk Territory. The southern border of the Jewish Autonomous Okrug coincides with the state border of Russia. It runs along the Amur River, beyond which the lands of China begin.
Jewish autonomy has an area of 36.3 thousand square kilometers. As of January 1, 2015, 168 thousand inhabitants lived on its territory. The city of Birobidzhan is the regional center of this district.
Promised Land
The newly created autonomy was a fact of the revival of the sovereign territory of the Jewish population. The emergence of this district was the reason for the intensification of immigration inflow from abroad. About seven hundred people from Lithuania and Argentina, Latvia and France, Belgium and Germany, Poland, Palestine and the USA have chosen their permanent residence in the Far East.
All this suggests that the decisionthe Soviet government caused quite a lively response in the Jewish environment. And this is not surprising. The long-suffering people rejoiced at the allocation of their own territory for them and the existence of some kind of statehood on it.
Location
The city of Birobidzhan received such a sonorous name from the names of two local rivers flowing nearby - Bira and Bidzhan. On the bank of the first of them, the center of the newly formed Autonomous Okrug was erected. Birobidzhan on the map can be found east of the Bidzhan River. It flows parallel to Bira and is located one hundred kilometers from the city. It is worth saying that these two rivers carry their waters to the mighty Amur.
Birobidzhan on the map of Russia is one of the stations of the Trans-Siberian Railway. It is distinguished by its close location to the border with China (only 75 kilometers).
Sights of the EAO capital
The main street of Birobidzhan is named after Sholom Aleichem. A monument to this famous Jewish writer was erected on the territory of its square. This is a two-meter copper figure of Shalom Aleichem (Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich), located on a stone pedestal. The monument is decorated with bronze bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the life of the Jewish people described by the writer.
Not far from the monument is the Regional Museum, the exhibits of which relate to contemporary fine arts. In the premises of this institution, you can admire the paintings of contemporary artists, written on the subject of the Old Testament. To date, this collection has collected about two hundred exhibits of variousstyles and trends, the authors of which are artists from several regions of Russia.
The capital of the Jewish Autonomous Okrug invites guests and residents of the city to enjoy the work of the creative team of the regional philharmonic society. In this center of art and culture of the Jewish Autonomous Region, very interesting creative projects are being implemented, which are brought to life by sixty artists of various genres.
The construction of the Philharmonic building was completed in 1984. And to this day, up to seven hundred spectators visit the spacious concert hall with pleasure. Comfortable working conditions are also created for creative teams. The building has rehearsal and service rooms, dressing rooms, the most modern sound, light and video projection equipment.
Festivals of Jewish and Slavic cultures are held in the regional philharmonic society. Well-known foreign and Russian soloists and professional bands come here on tour.
One of the cultural attractions of Birobidzhan is the Regional Museum of Local Lore. In it you can get acquainted with the history of the creation of Jewish autonomy, which appeared several years earlier than the state of Israel. In the halls of the exhibition there are objects and documents reflecting the history of the emergence and development of the city. It also contains evidence of cultural and economic achievements that the county can be proud of. The museum is located near the synagogue on Lenin Street.
Guests of Birobidzhan can also see the first stone temple built in thisregion. This is the Annunciation Cathedral, the construction of which was completed in 2004
The Jewish Autonomous Okrug can rightfully be proud of an amazing environmental institution. Birobidzhan invites guests and residents of the city to visit the dendrological park. On a vast territory of 19 hectares, special collections of plants are grown. This huge work is carried out in order to enrich the plant resources of the region, as well as to conduct economic, educational, educational and scientific activities. This park is rightfully proud of the entire Jewish Autonomous Okrug. The map of the territory indicates that this is a zone of coniferous-deciduous forests. That is why a lot of different trees grow in the arboretum. There are also shrubs here. But, despite this, every year cedar, fir and spruce seedlings are planted in the park.
Excursions are organized for visitors to this unique territory, during which you can see a large number of species of woody plants. On special trails, the route runs to a hill, from which an amazing view of the Uldura, Bastak, Shukhi-Poktoy ranges opens. Along the borders of the arboretum there are small reservoirs. Their inhabitants are small invertebrates, Far Eastern toads and Siberian salamanders.
The list of Birobidzhan sights also includes:
- a monument to Lenin erected in front of the building where the regional Government is located;
- a stele erected at the entrance to the city, on which there are inscriptions both in Russian and in Yiddish;
- monument inhonor of the first Jewish pioneers on the square near the station building;
- a fountain with a Jewish menorah;
- a memorial complex with an eternal flame, in memory of those residents of the city who died during the Great Patriotic War;
- a chapel of the Sovereign Orthodox Icon of the Mother of God, built in Victory Square;
- IS-3 tank, installed as a monument in 2005;
- synagogue;
- Church of St. Nicholas, made of wood in 1998-99
Timezone
Due to the fact that the Jewish Autonomous Okrug is located on the territory of the Far East, at a considerable distance from the capital of Russia, the time in it is shifted by 7 hours relative to Moscow. time zone). In relation to universal time, there is an 11 hour shift here.
Climate
The Jewish Autonomous Okrug is located in a territory dominated by dry and cold winters, as well as humid and hot summers. This is a temperate monsoon climate zone. According to its natural conditions, the JAO is one of the most favorable places in the Far East. Features of the climatic zone create excellent conditions for the development of grass and forest vegetation, as well as agricultural crops.
The northern territory of the district has a more severe climate. There are also areas with permafrost. In the south, natural conditions are more favorable for life.
The average temperature in January in the JAO is between 21 and 26 degrees below zero. In July, the air warms up to 18-21 degrees. The average rainfall per year ranges from 500 to 800 mm.
Culture
The Jewish Autonomous Region (Federal District of the Far East) has its own unique flavor. This is the most fertile territory of the Amur region, it is fertile ground for the development of art and culture. It is in the Jewish Autonomous Region that the oldest literary studio in the Far East is located. Through the efforts of its participants, such almanacs as Birobidzhan and Outpost were published.
Among the important cultural events in the region is the creation of the State Jewish Theater. In the 1970s, the Jewish Chamber Musical Theater was opened in Birobidzhan. Soon after, the puppet theater and violin ensemble began to delight the audience with their performances.
Natural we alth
In the north of the Jewish Autonomous Okrug, as well as in its northwestern part, there are the Pompeevsky, Sutarsky, Small Khingal ridges, as well as spurs of the Bureinsky ridge. The hills located on the territory of the Jewish Autonomous Region are covered with deciduous forests on their southern slopes. On the northern side, these hills are dominated by coniferous trees. In these parts you can find honeysuckle and wild grapes, as well as Manchurian walnut. Even a cork tree grows here.
There are specially protectedplaces. This is over three hundred thousand hectares with one reserve, seven reserves and almost three dozen natural monuments.
A surprisingly beautiful plant can be seen on the surface of the reservoirs of the region. In summer, the Komarov lotus blooms here. Its huge, the size of a child's palm, dark pink petals decorate the water surface.
The special geological structure of the territory of the JAO allows us to make predictions about the presence of deposits of oil and ore gold, gas and phosphorites, ornamental and facing stones, platinum and diamonds. Today, iron and manganese ores, talc and magnesites, peat and brown coal, fresh and thermo-mineral healing waters are already being mined here.
Administrative divisions
The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, by its Decree issued in 1991, singled out the Jewish Autonomous Region from the Khabarovsk Territory, making it an independent entity. In 2006 another municipal reform was carried out. As a result, the Jewish Autonomous Okrug was divided into five districts. There are few cities in the JAO. There are only two of them. These are Birobidzhan, which is the center of the Birobidzhan region, as well as Obluchye (Obluchensky region). The centers of the remaining three districts are villages and towns. The list of these territorial units is given below:
- Leninsky district - with a center in the village of Leninskoye;
- Oktyabrsky district - with a center in the village of Amurzet;
- Smidovichsky district - with a center in the village Smidovich.
Further prospects
Since the 1990s, heated discussions have begun about the status of the region. This was the period when Jews en masseimmigrated to Israel. As a result, an opinion arose about the collapse of the JAO, as well as the inexpediency of its existence in the future.
Today, a project has been developed for joining the Jewish Autonomous Region to the Khabarovsk Territory, and a proposal has been put forward to include it in the Amur Region with the simultaneous formation of the Amur Territory.
