Rising Russian Population in Fenway

By Nick Davis
FENWAY— Across from the Holy Trinity Church in the park off Park Drive is one of the places that people call home.

According to the Boston Redevelopment Authority the number of foreign-born Russians living in Fenway/Kenmore is 4 percent, about 1 percent of the neighborhood population.

“Russians always try to stay close to their kids, parents, grand kids, siblings and relatives,” said Peggi Coleman, director of the Russian American Cultural Center of Boston. “They have very strong family values that they cherish above any others, so as a result, they move together as a family or settle down within the same area.”

“I think Russians have been living in this area for sometime,” said 32-year-old Paolina Marshakova, a Russian student living on the backside of Kenmore Square. She said there are several buildings within the Fenway/Kenmore area that are designed for senior citizens or the disabled and have been occupied by Russians for years.

“Because Boston is more conservative and so are Russians. Boston is more conservative like the Russians and it feels more familiar and cozy because it's small, peaceful, has great architecture,” Marshakova said.

Larisa Krasfavitskaya, said she decided to move to Fenway/Kenmore in 1994 to live with her sister. “Because of the nuclear problems in the Ukraine, my sister called me and asked me to live with her,” Krasfavitskaya said.

Marshakova said she understands why the area has become a popular choice for people of Russian decent.

“Many of them enjoy being at the nearby park daily because they have garden plots where they grow things,” Marshakova said.

The other reason why Fenway is it’s proximity to the museums, Symphony Hall, and the Conservatory. “Russians love, enjoy and support arts,” Marshakova said. “They like to go to concerts, performances and exhibits. Being refined culturally gives them advantage over others.” Plus Marshakova also said, they like to stay up to date on what’s happening in Boston and discuss the latest shows or concerts in the area with on another.

Another reason raised as to why the area might be so popular is because of the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, off of Park Drive. Marshakova said she was unsure about how much influence the church had on the Russian population in Fenway. “I think church depends more on them rather than they depend on the church,” Marshakova said. “If you go to a mass, there you would notice that most of the attendees are Americans and few of them are Russians.”

Marshakova said many of the Russians in the Fenway are Jewish.

“Russians like to be part of a community, and because there are a few Jewish centers nearby, Russians might have decided to move to Fenway,” Marshakova said.