Friday, February 28, 1964—THE DETROIT JE WIS H NEW S-26

U. S. Department Proposes United Religious Plea for USSR Jewry

(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)

WASHINGTON — The State
Department suggested that seri-
ous thought be given to a
"united appeal of private re-
ligious organizations represent-
ing worldwide Jewry, and, if
possible. other religious groups"
in an effort to ease restriction
placed upon Soviet Jewry by
the Moscow government.
The suggestion was made in
a memorandum prepared by the
State Department at the request
of Senator Kenneth B. Keating,
(Rep., N. Y.), who disclosed its
full contents in a speech on the
Senate. floor Wednesday.
Senator Keating, in his re-
quest to the State Department,
urged United States action to
prevent excesses against Soviet
Jews. He said that although the
reply he received from the de-
partment in some respects is
satisfactory and straightforward
i nits admission of anti-Semitic
activities in the Soviet Union.
it still "leaves the major issue
unresolved."
The State Department
memorandum concedes that
the Jewish community of the
Soviet Union, whether re-
garded as a religious group or
as a nationality, suffers seri-
ous hardships. But the De-
partment maintains still that
"there is no evidence that the
authorities intend to incite
the public acts of anti-Jewish
violence. Rather, they seem
to be using popular anti-
Semitic sentiments for their
own purposes."
The Department feels, ac-
cording to the memorandum,
that action by the United States
through diplomatic channels
would not be useful, indeed
might harm Soviet Jews in view
of the suspicions of double-loy-
alty cast upon them by Moscow.
Senator Keating, in his
speech. expressed satisfaction
that the State Department has
given further thought and at-
tention to this problem, but
stated that he was "disturbed
by the Department's reluctance
to put the full and appropriate
measure of blame upon the in-
tensive activities and campaign
by the Soviet government it-
self." The Senator noted in his
speech that word has been re-
ceived that the prosecution in
the long and secret trial of a
number of Moscow residents
has called for the death penalty
for the 11 Jews charged with
economic crimes while for the
12 non-Jews chardged with the
same offense the prosecution
asked only prison terms of 15
years.
The State Department noted
in its memorandum that in the
past year or two "there have
been growing indications of an
active anti-Semitic bias which
have made the Soviet Jews ap-
prehensive for their future."
The memorandum also stated
that "while all observers agree
that Soviet Jews are being
placed under increasing re-
strictions with regard to re-
ligious worship, the United
States government has no in-
formation indicating that Soviet
Jews fear physical persecution
of the type and magnitude
which was d i r e c t e d against
them during Czarist times or
during the immediate post-war
period under Stalin."

The State Department ad- in the Soviet Union as a na-
mitted, however, that "in re- tionality listed in all their
cent past, Soviet press cover- identity documents, the State
age of economic crimes has Department memorandum un-
indicated that Jews are being derscored that at the same time
sentenced, often to death, in "distinctive language activities
disproportionately large num- and community institutions
bers." bracket of the Jewish popula-
The memorandum noted that tion unbracket have now been
"the number of synagogues is reduced almost to zero" and
being quietly reduced. Press that there is also "a strong
treatment of synagogues and of pressure toward assimilation,
references to Jewish identity and a marked assimilation in
generally has almost always practice."
The Department also main-
placed them in unfavorable con-
text. Worship is circumscribed tains that the existence of
not only by the paucity of syna- Israel makes Soviet Jews vul-
gogues and rabbinical training, r nerable to official attack on
but by restrictions affecting I grounds of divided loyalty.
traditional foods and customs." ' Soviet Jews are also suspect;
Noting that Jews. regardless for having ties with Western
Jewry.
of religious practice, are treated

NEW YORK, (JTA)—A re-
ception in honor of the Habi-
mah—the Israel National Thea-
ter—was given by the American
Jewish League for Israel, at the
New Yorker Hotel.
Samuel Daroff, president of
the American Jewish League,
introduced the cast of the Ha-
bimah to more than 100 promi-
nent leaders and representa-
tives of cultural and literary
groups. He welcomed the Ha-
bimah as a cultural bridge be-
tween Israel and America and
stressed the need of helping the
group in the modernization of
its own theater in Tel Aviv and
the building of the new educa-
tional experimental theater
alongside of it.

israsoMPW*:

Walker Cisler, with Miss Marilyn Ayler of his stair, reviews some of the many letters received in
response to the series of messages of which this is the concluding one.

To
the Families
Whose Homes are
Served by
EDISON

I've been writing periodically over the past several
months to tell you something about Detroit
Edison—to outline some of its principles and poli-
cies; to remind you of the services offered you; to
reiterate our earnest desire to act in the best
interest of you and our other customers through-
out Southeastern Michigan.

Israel Finance Chief
Confers in Washington

WASHINGTON, (JTA) —
Israel minister of finance Pin-
has Sapir, arrived in Washing-
ton for a number of meetings
with high-level U.S. and inter-
national banking officials.
Sapir met with David Bell,
head of the U. S. Agency for
International Development and
reviewed problems of American
development assistance to Is-
rael. He also met with Secre-
tary of the Treasury Douglas

As for the "economic crimes"
trials the memorandum stated
that "the publicity given such
trials would surely buttress
already existing anti-Semitic
prejudices through the associa-
tion of identifiably Jewish per-
sons with alleged criminal vio-
lations."
After citing the Department's
arguments a g a ins t formal
United States diplomatic inter-
vention on behalf of Soviet
Jews, the memorandum con-
cludes: "Since the fate of Soviet
Jewry is of concern to the world
community, s e r i o us thought
might be given to a united ap-
peal of private organizations
representing world-wide Jewry
and if possible other religious

Habimah Cast Honored
by League for Israel

We have great faith in our state's future and
pledge that we will do our share to assure that
future. We're happy to be a part of the busy
Michigan scene.
Though this concludes this series of letters, it will
not end our endeavors to keep you informed about
our company and the industry of which we are a
part.

•

_

\

To those of you who have written in response to
one or another of my letters, I am especially appre-
ciative. Your comments have been most helpful.
If you have a question in the future about the
company or any of our programs, always feel free
to contact my office directly, or any of the 73
Edison customer offices in the area we serve.
It has been pleasant for me to have had thl,
opportunity to communicate with you and to tell
you how the Detroit Edison system serves you.

Sincerely,

aer-de,1..<

Walker L. Cisler, President

THE DETROIT EDISON COMPANY

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