Editing Jewish Autonomous Oblast (section)

=== Languages spoken ===

In the Soviet Union there was an attempt to make Yiddish an official language within Birobidzhan.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170322115050/http://old.ipkpr.ru/index.php/pedagogicheskij-vestnik-eao/item/633 Идиш в ЕАО: традиции, опыт, современность]</ref>
According to the statute of JAO (1997), Yiddish is one of the recognized [[minority language]]s.<ref name=jao-ustav/>

Yiddish is taught in three of the region's schools, but the community is almost exclusively Russian-speaking.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Gal Beckerman |date=August 31, 2016 |title=A Promised Land in the U.S.S.R. |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/136493/promised-land-ussr |magazine=[[The New Republic]]}}</ref>

According to an article published in 2000, Birobidzhan has several state-run schools that teach Yiddish, a Yiddish school for religious instruction and a kindergarten. The five- to seven-year-olds spend two lessons a week learning to speak Yiddish, as well as being taught Jewish songs, dance, and traditions.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Steen |first=Michael |date=January 13, 2000 |title=Soviet-era Jewish homeland struggles on |work=Utusan Online |url=http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2000&dt=0113&pub=Utusan_Express&sec=Features&pg=fe_02.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=January 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113171700/http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2000&dt=0113&pub=Utusan_Express&sec=Features&pg=fe_02.htm |archive-date=January 13, 2017}}</ref> A 2006 article in ''[[The Washington Times]]'' stated that Yiddish is taught in the schools, a Yiddish radio station is in operation, and the ''Birobidzhaner Shtern'' newspaper includes a section in Yiddish.<ref name="washingtontimes.com"/>