Ministerstvo Voennoe [General Staff of the Ministry of War]. Kalendar Vazhnivism Evreiskim Prazdnikiam Na 1866 God [Calendar of Significant Jewish Festival Days in which Jews in the Military may take Leave.]

Calendar issued by the Russian military for the Jewish soldiers during the reign of Alexander II. It exempts them from military service during the Holidays Pessah, Shavuot, Sukkot, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. The reign of Alexander II (1855-81) resulted in an end to the harsh treatment of the Jews, but nevertheless, new policies were implemented to ensure assimilation. As Jews began to move out of the Pale of Settlement, those having a Russian secondary-school education were granted greater rights, which increased Jewish enrollment in Russian schools. Assimilation was somewhat hindered as Jews in the military were prohibited from receiving the ranks of officers, which limited the contact between Jew and non-Jew.