JL;DR SUMMARY Polly Zavadivker's book, A Nation of Refugees: Russia's Jews in World War I, reveals the significant yet often overlooked plight of Russian Jews during World War I. As the Russian army suffered defeats on the Eastern Front, antisemitic paranoia led to brutal expulsions and violence against Jews, accused baselessly of espionage. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.