I am from Lithuania where Jews have always kept their Jewish identity, even absolutely secular families, like mine.
What I think is that the Six-Day War gave all Jews that wonderful feeling that we were not the weaklings left at everyone’s mercy and I think this war started this awakening of Russian Jews, especially in Moscow, Leningrad, and Ukrainian Jews in Kiev, Odessa.
I have very vivid memories of the the Soviet press initially celebrating Israel’s “defeat,” quieting down at a later stage and then screaming for a ceasefire. At this point it was obvious Israel was winning the war. In Lithuania, where the local population never cherished much love to the Soviet Union, the situation there was different, than, I presume, in the Russian part of the country.
The post offices were packed with Jews sending telegrams to Israel inquiring what happened to their friends and family.
My dad, who knew Hebrew, was glued to the radio, though it was almost impossible to hear Israeli radio, I do not know how, but somehow he managed to get through. So we had a clearer picture from the beginning, but still the situation during the first hours and days looked very threatening to Israel, we feared that Soviet Soldiers would be sent to protect their Arab Brothers.
Lithuanians are in principal antisemitic, but their hatred towards the Russians was so great that it made them forget that “Jews” had won the victory, they simply celebrated the defeat of the USSR’s friends.
– Chava, Israel
