The vast territories of the Russian Empire at one time hosted the largest population of Jews in the world. Within these territories the Jewish community flourished and developed many of modern Judaism's most distinctive theological and cultural traditions, while also facing periods of antisemitic discriminatory policies and persecutions. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, many Soviet Jews took the opportunity of liberalized emigration policies, with over half their population leaving, most for Israel, the United States and Germany. Despite this emigration, the Jews residing in Russia and the nations of the former Soviet Union still constitute one of the largest Jewish populations in Europe.

Die Geschichte der Juden in Russland (bzw. auf dem Gebiet der ehemaligen Sowjetunion) beginnt mit Legenden aus dem ersten vorchristlichen Jahrtausend und umfasst einen Zeitraum von rund 2000 Jahren.

Evreu (învechit: israelit) este un termen care denumeşte, în limba română, adepţii religiei iudaice sau mozaice şi apartenenţii la poporul evreu.