An unusual chapter in Russian history unfolded between 1827 and 1856, when Jewish boys and men were kidnapped and forcibly brought to camps, known as cantons, to be trained as soldiers in the Tzarist army.

Often snatched when they were as young as six years old, they were sent to vocational schools, after which they became soldiers at the age of 18. Compelled to serve for 25 years, these cantonists were cut off from their families and communities and were under unrelenting pressure to convert to Christianity.

Josef Mendelevich, an Israeli historian of Latvian descent, has written a book about this obscure topic. The Cantonists: Jewish Boys In The Russian Military, 1827-1856 is published by Touro University Press in association with Academic Studies Press.

As he acknowledges, the conscription of Jewish boys and adults into the Russian armed forces was part of a general policy of mandatory military service that applied to all Russia’s citizens, be they Christians, Jews or Muslims. In the case of Jews, who were often seen as an alien element, this policy was expressly designed to “reform” or assimilate them into Russian society.

Jews were forcibly........

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