Russian Americans

by Steven Ferry

Provides a history of Russian immigration to the United States and discusses Russian customs and contributions to American culture. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Library Binding
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0761401644
• ISBN13: 9780761401643
• Release Date: September 1995
• Publisher: Benchmark Books (NY)
• Length: 80 Pages
• Age Range: 10 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 7

Customer Reviews

Great, with some errors in religion

This is a very good book for detailed knowledge of the Russian people for readers of all ages, but chapter 4 on Religion and Celebrations contains some errors. In the Orthodox Church, Eucharist is not a wafer dipped in wine as the book indicates. Leavened bread is used, along with wine, and both are distributed to the faithful after consecration. The section on marriage is very informative, but the text states that the couple kiss each other. While Western influence may lead the priest to include a kiss between the new husband and wife, the Orthodox service does not include one liturgically. In the chapter on customs, in the Easter section, there is a description of enjoying blini. This holiday is called Maslenitsa and is pre-Lenten, just like Shrove Tuesday and Mardi Gras. During this week long "butter festival", all dairy products are eaten up, as they will not be eaten during all of the season of Great Lent. Also, most of the Orthodox Church uses a different calculation for the observance of Pascha, Christ's Resurrection from the dead, so we do not necessarily celebrate with our Roman Catholic and Protestant brethren. The dates can co-incide or the Orthodox feast can be one, four, or five weeks later, depending on the moon and the celebration of Passover by the Jews.