Russia today has one of the lowest levels of anti-Semitism in the world and the lowest in Europe, according to a survey conducted in 2015-2016 by the Russian Jewish Congress ahead of the first Moscow International Conference on Combating anti-Semitism, co-sponsored by the World Jewish Congress.
The survey found that only 8 percent of respondents expressed a negative attitude toward Jews and that 90% of Russians today are aware of the Holocaust. The study found that Gypsies and Chechens evoked the most antipathetic attitude among respondents, as well as xenophobia toward Americans, Arabs and Azerbaijanis. 
Anti-Semitism in Russia began its descent in 2007, correlating with the intensification of state-sponsored anti-Western rhetoric, as xenophobia was diverted toward external enemies and “fifth column” residents, according to the study.
The survey was commissioned by the RJC in September 2015, and was conducted on a nationwide representative sample of 1,000 respondents over the age of 18, with an additional 400 Moscovites polled for a representative sample of the capital. It is the first survey on anti-Semitism conducted in Russia in 19 years, and builds on previous studies conducted by the Levada Center in 1990, 1992, and 1997.
Click here to read the whole study
"The findings of the research are quite dramatic. The common wisdom, both in our public opinion and abroad, is that Russia is a country with deep-rooted and widespread anti-semitism. Historical evidence of that is abundant," said Russian Jewish Congress President Yuri Kanner. "However, the Levada Center research of today's Russia refutes that persistent stereotype (in consistency with the operational statistics data). Presently, the level of anti-semitism in our country is at an all-time low."
"This is not a purely Jewish issue, and not even an issue of Russia as a whole. It is a universal issue, because we come to this world not to laugh, not to weep, but to understand. And God willing, we will come closer to understanding during the conference," added Kanner.
The Moscow International Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism, held November 1 and 2, was the first event of its kind in Russia, as well as anywhere else in the Former Soviet Union. The conference - also called "Protecting the Future" was organized by the Russian Jewish Congress under the auspices of the Government of Moscow and is co-sponsored by the World Jewish Congress, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, and the Genesis philanthropy group.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder said: "At a time when global terrorism singles out Jews around the world, at a time when we see the impact of intolerance and hate on every continent, here in Russia, the Jewish community is thriving. Jewish kindergartens and Jewish schools are filled to capacity, synagogues are crowded on Shabbat. But Jews in Western Europe are seriously thinking of leaving. President [Vladimir] Putin has made Russia a country where Jews are welcome. And that’s not just a good thing for Jews. It is good for Russia as well. It is because of this unprecedented change that the World Jewish Congress looks to continue to work with Russia. We want to be able to count on Russia as a solid friend.”
In his presentation to the conference, WJC CEO Robert Singer said: "In recent years, as anti-Semitism has resurged in many parts of the world, especially in Europe, our diplomatic and public efforts to combat this oldest of hatreds have become more important than ever."
