On May 25 a Literary Salon devoted to the book "Jews in Liveries" by Lev Berdnikov took place in the Community Center Rimon. The event was opened by Director of the Jewish Republican Library Galina Korobkina, "We have received a new book "Jews in Liveries" and I am happy that Svetlana Ivanovna decided to present it to readers".

The conference room was full with visitors who came to listen to Svetlana Nezhinskaya. Svetlana Ivanovna is a retired journalist, a Jewish Library Volunteer. She enthusiastically presented the book, "When I first saw the book, I was surprised by its name "Jews in Liveries". Then I remembered the words from Alexander Galich’s poem, "Jews, don’t sew liveries, you will never be chamberlains, Jews!" The book by Lev Berdnikov is about Jews-converts who were working in the government during and before Peter I reign. There are stories of different people in the book. But they all have something in common. When a person was needed, the government forgot about his Jewish origin, but when a person was in disgrace everybody was quick to remember it. Decide for yourself whether a Jew needs a government career".

The books of Lev Berdnikov about political power in Russia before 1917 revolution show that the system itself was based on arbitrary rule, servility, and perfidy. The role of rulers did not change anything, no matter whether they were educated or not, war oriented or peace loving, reformers or retrogrades. It was difficult to survive for an honest person. The controversy of the book caused a heated discussion among literary salon participants.

The emotional presentation made by Svetlana Ivanovna and unique facts revealed by the book made the presentation of Lev Berdnikov’s book "Jews in Liveries" an interesting and memorable event.

Lyudmila Starodubova