Accusations by a group of Russian lawmakers that Jews provoke anti-Semitism has enraged the country's Jewish community on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
About 20 nationalist and Communist deputies put their names to a letter, along with more than 500 other people, calling on the General Prosecutor to investigate Jewish organisations and ban them under a law against extremism.
The deputies retracted their call after news of it emerged this week, but Russia's chief rabbi, Berl Lazar, said the letter had caused outrage among the country's one million Jews.
"More than half a century later, when such statements come out openly, this really shows that the famous line 'Never again' has to be taught constantly and fought for," he said.
Russia's foreign ministry denounced the document, saying it "contained openly anti-Semitic views".