Cantonists: How Many Jews Arrived In Finland

Joseph Gideon Bolotowsky, president of Jewish community in Helsinki 1988-2007, describes his own ancestors’ arrival in Finland, mostly as Cantonists. He then goes on to describe what Jewish Cantonists were, young boys who were recruited into the Russian Czarist army schools at the age of 11 or 12, educated in the non-Jewish Cantonist schools, then forced to serve the 25 year army service-all in an effort to convert the Jewish children to Russian Orthodox.
To see the full oral history and learn more about the Yiddish Book Center's Wexler Oral History Project: www.yiddishbookcenter.org/col...

[@AlexanderAhrens-gs1wy]

I am German and it very amazing that i understand what he talking about.

[@savvysue3537]

Great story!

[@YiddishBookCenter]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@filipponseele7346]

Yiddisch is azoy shein. Great story. Not known to many

[@omarkhayyam94]

זייער אינטערעסאנט, א דאנק.