Court delays Russian bid to liquidate Jewish Agency assets

A Moscow court has postponed a hearing to consider liquidating the Russian assets of the Jewish Agency for a further month.

The case was triggered after a request from the Russian Justice Ministry and has strained relations between Israel and Russia.

But Andrey Grishaev, a lawyer for the agency, said Friday’s decision to adjourn until 19 September was a reason for optimism.

“It is a significant amount of time needed to study those documents which we have received today, and which have been added to the case,” he said outside the court in the Russian capital.

“These are voluminous documents. We will look through and will study them.

“We are at the beginning of the road, we are not losing hope, and consider that the organization will continue its work in Russia.”

The Jewish Agency organises aliyah, or Jewish emigration to Israel, but some Russian officials have suggested its activities are illegal.

They have reportedly accused the agency of violating privacy laws by collecting the personal information of people interested in relocating to Israel.

The Justice Ministry’s move came as growing numbers of migrants from Russia have made aliyah after the war in Ukraine began.

Jewish Agency figures last month showed 17,000 Russians had taken Israeli citizenship since February and up to 40,000 others were expected to follow.

It compares to just 7,700 Russian Jews making aliyah in the entirety of 2021.