New Israel

New Israel (Новый Израиль) was one of the Sektanstvo (sectarian) new religious movements that grew and expanded in the Russian Empire in the late 19th to early 20th century, a branch of the Postniki (fasters). The movement was the result of the schisms that split the "Old Israel" (Staroizrail) sect after the death of Perfil Katasonov. Its founder was a peasant named Mokshin, but it rose to notability only under Mokshin's successor, Vasiliy Semionovitch Lubkov (Василий Семенович Лубков, born December 24, 1869).

In the 1910s, members of the sect emigrated to Uruguay, where they founded the town of San Javier.

New Israel was strongly influenced by the Dukhovnye Khristiane movement, and in turn gave rise to two new religious sects called Noviy soyuz duhovnovo Israilia (Новый союз духовного Израиля) and Novohristianskiy soyuz (Новохристианский союз).

Although persecuted in the Soviet Union, the sect persisted at least until the 1950s.

The New Israel religion believes that there is only one living true God. The sect rejects the typical view of Mystery in God, and therefore rejects most of traditional practices, while keeping only some. Therefore, the consumption of any type of food including meat is acceptable. Church marriages are replaced with civil marriages. The civil marriage allows the selection of a partner duhovnitsu (духовницу) by the will of God or a leader (prophet), in this case family ties are not considered.

In 1891, Lubkov, who was 22 at the time, declared himself to be the living God and took control over the New Israel. In 1905, under the leadership of Lubkov, the church moved its center of operations to Rostov-on-Don. The church later spread its influence over the south of Russia.

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