Even though my maternal grandfather's brother converted to Russian Orthodox for "business reasons" in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, his descendants identify as Jewish. Consider the possibility that the conversion served as the "public religion." Think about the Conversos of Spain and Portugal, I think perhaps there are some similarities here, but with nowhere as dire consequences.
Linda Cohen Morzillo
Saratoga Springs, NY
Researching:
PRESS and SCHNEIDER in Vidukle and other Raseiniai towns
AMCHISLAVSKY and ERLICHMAN in Rostov-on-Don and previously Kozelets and Oster, Chernigov Gubernia
COHEN/KAGAN and BORNSTEIN in Oshmiany and France
KOSOFSKY in Shchuchyn, near Lida, Belarus
SWOTINSKY in Grodno Gubernia Poland/Russia/Belarus