History of the Jews in Russia abandoning of Jewish dietary laws. Polish Catholic boys were subject to similar pressure to convert and assimilate as the Russian Empire was hostile to Catholicism and Polish nationalism. The cultural and habitual isolation of the Jews gradually began to be eroded. An ever-increasing number of Jewish people adopted Russian language and customs. Russian education was spread among the Jewish population. A number of Jewish-Russian periodicals appeared. Alexander II was known as the "Tsar liberator" for the 1861 abolition of serfdom in Russia. Under his rule Jewish people could not hire Christian servants, could not own land, and were restricted in
What Was Said Award. What Was Said What Was Said (released January 29, 2016 on the ECM label) is an album by pianist Tord Gustavsen, vocalist Simin Tander and drummer Jarle Vespestad. The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek awarded "What Was Said" 4 stars and stated "This band incorporates improvisational elements into the core of each composition, and the role of the singer is as a co-conspirator in the creation of the moment.". They also selected it as one of their Favorite Jazz Albums of 2016. Writing in The Guardian, John Fordham called it "returning to simple songs with religious roots, and to