U.S. Public Opinion Is Mobilized in the Battle
Against Spreading Russian Anti-Semitism
(Continued from Page 1)
of such a federation with or-
ganizations of their corelig-
ionists abroad; 9. Permit Jews
to make religious pilgrimages
to Israel. 10. Allow all
oualified applicants to attend
Moscow Holy Places and rab-
binical students to study at
seminaries abroad; 11. Pro-
vide schools and other facili-
ties for the study of the Yid-
dish and Hebrew languages,
and Jewish history and cul-
ture; 12. Permit Jew i s h
writers, artists and other in-
tellectuals to create their own
institutions for the encourage-
ment of Jewish cultural and
artistic life; 13. Re-establish
a Yiddish publishing house to
publish books in Yiddish by
classical a n d contemporary
Jewish writers; 14. Re-estab-
lish Yiddish state theaters
and permit publication of a
Yiddish-language newspaper
with nationwide circulation;
15. Eliminate discrimination
against Jews in all areas of
Soviet public life; 16. End the
anti-Semitic campaign in the
press; 17. End the discrimina-
tory application of the death
penalty and other severe sen-
tences imposed against Jews
for economic crimes against
the state; 18. Make it pos-
sible for Soviet Jews sepa-
rated from their families as
a result of Nazism to be re-
united with their relatives, on
humanitarian grounds.
Dr. Joachim Prinz, president
of the American Jewish Con-
gress—one of the 24 partici-
pating groups — presented the
resolution, which concluded
with an appeal "for a redress
of these and other wrongs and
sufferings, for the elimination
of discrimination, and for the
full restoration of Jewish rights
in the USSR." "We do not
wish," Dr. Prinz added, "to ex-
acerbate the Cold War tensions,
but we will not rest until the
one voice with which we speak
is heard and heeded."
A proposal for the formation
of a voluntary international
court to deal with Soviet anti-
Semitism and with other human
rights viola tions made at
the conference by Morris B.
Abram, who is the United
States member on the United
Nations Sub-commission on Pre-
vention of Discrimination and
Protection of Minorities—a sub-
sidiary body of the U.N. Human
Rights Commission—also urged
all religious forces throughout
the world to "cry out against
the shame of Soviet anti-Semi-
tism."
Senator Javits (New York Re-
publican), described Soviet
anti-Semitism as a threat "not
only to Jews—though they are
the first victims—but to all re-
ligious minorities in the USSR."
He urged that protest against
the Soviet treatment of the
Jewish populaion be "intensi-
fied in every way possible." De-
claring that silent diplomacy
will not save Soviet Jews, he
cited numerous situations dur-
ing the last 100 years where the
United States had condemned
persecution of Jews in various
countries and had intervened
on their behalf.
Other speakers included Ben-
jamin Tabachinsky, executive
secretary of the Jewish Labor
Committee; and Aaron Gold-
man, of Washington, vice-chair-
man of the National Com-
munity Relations A d v is or y
Council.
Action plans mapped by
the conference, in addition to
calling for a special day of
prayer, included the follow-
ing steps: 1. Efforts to enlist
the cooperation of President
Johnson and that of both ma-
jor political parties toward
expressing "America's offi-
cial concern to the S o v i et
Government; 2. Urging other
religious beliefs to include
discussion of this matter "in
their own deliberate chan-
nels," specifically mentioning
in this context "international
Christian f or u in s such as
World Council of Churches";
3. Enlisting the support of
civic, labor, education, and
religious organizations, vet-
erans' and women's groups
and others to express their
concern for the plight of So-
viet Jews; and 4. A special
drive to secure statements
from religious le ad e r s of
proMinence, winners of hon-
ors and awards in science and
the humanities, outstanding
intellectuals and others, "rais-
ing their voices" on behalf of
Soviet Jewry.
Local American Jewish com-
munities were urged to hold
their own conferences on Soviet
Jewry, on a pattern similar to
that of the national conference
held here; to help community-
wide committees and enlist the
support of local civic, religious,
educational and other bodies;
and to provide factual material
about Soviet Jewish conditions
to teachers, educators, editors,
and other opinion-makers.
Rabbi Max Nussbaum of Los
Angeles, speaking for the com-
mittee on national follow-up,
told the conference: "We shall
not rest or desist until we have
awakened world opinion a n d
brought its full weight and in-
fluence to bear upon this un-
conscionable wrong."
In addition to the message
from Cardinal Meyer of Chi-
cago, the conference received
statements approving its major
aims from other prominent, non-
Jewish leaders in American
life. These included Norman
Thomas, veteran Socialist
leader; the Rev. Eugene Carson
Blake, of the United Presby-
terian Church; the Rev. Dr.
Patrick O'Boyle, archbishop of
Washington; A. Philip Ran-
dolph, Negro leader, a vice-
president of the AFL-CIO; Rufus
Cornelsen, of the Lutheran
Church of America; and Her-
man F. Reissig, of the Council
for Christian Action of the
United Church of Christ.
Sunday night, the Soviet
Embassy in Washington sent
to the conference a statement
attributed to religious a n d
secular Jewish leaders in the
Soviet Union, protesting
against the parley's "slander-
ous attacks on our Soviet comi-
try, which has done so much
for the Jewish people!' The
statement bore the signatures
of Rabbi Yehuda Leib Levin,
of the Moscow Central Syna-
gogue; Rabbi Natal' Olevsky,
Marin R o s ch a Synagogue,
Moscow; Avram Panich, Kiev
Synagogue; Solomon Gerelik,
chairman of the Minsk Jew-
ish religious community; No-
hem Paller, chairman of the
community of Moscow's Cen-
tral Synagogue; and Gershun
Lib, chairman of the commun-
ity of Marina Roscha Syna-
gogue, Moscow.
The two-day parley was con-
cluded with a prayer by Rabbi
Solomon J. Sharfman, one of
the representatives of the Syna-
gogue Council of America. Em-
phasizing that the plight of So-
viet Jewry demands top priority
attention from united American
Jewry, he said that time was
"running out" to prevent the
"disappearance" of Soviet
Jewry.
More than 500 delegates at-
tended the two-day conference
at the Willard Hotel.
Justice Goldberg emphasized
that "discrimination against
Soviet Jews has reached "alarm-
ing proportions." Sen. Ribicoff
revealed that the Senate will
hold hearings on the resolution
introduced last September by
64 senators, denouncing Soviet
discrimination against Jews.
Rabbi Uri Miller, president of
the Synagogue Council, declar-
ed that American Jewry "will
not rest until justice is achieved
for the Jews in Russia." Label
A. Katz, national president of
Bnai Brith, presided.
Soviet Union and the discrimi- can Jewish Organizations, Ha-
nation practiced against them dassah, Jewish A g en c y for
in various fields. He called upon Israel-American Section, Jew-
the "world conscience" to put ish Labor Committee, Jewish
the fight for equal Jewish War Veterans of the United
rights in Russia as a "major States of America, Labor Zion-
item" on its agenda. He called ist Movement, Mizrachi-Hapoel
especially on all Americans to Hamizrachi, National Commun-
raise their voices in protest, ity Relations Advisory Council,
saying that: "Within our gov- National Council of Jewish Wo-
ernment, the Senate of the men, National Council of Young
United States has historically Israel, Rabbinical Assembly,
been one of the most effective Rabbinical Council of America,
forums for expressing officially Synagogue Council of America,
the aroused conscience of our Union of American Hebrew
Congregations, Union of Ortho-
Justice Goldberg s t r e s s e d country."
that "the denial of human rights
He called upon the Senate dox Jewish Congregations of
by the Soviet Union to Jews is to "meet its solemn responsi- America, United Synagogue of
properly a matter of deep con- bility again by condemning re- America, and the Zionist Or-
cern to all Americans of every ligious persecution behind the ganization of America.
religious persuasion." He em- Iron Curtain." He told the audi-
Khrushchev's Son-in-Law
phasized that the conference ence that, last September, he
Denies Bigotry Charges
"cannot be unmindful of the introduced a Senate resolution
NICE,
France (JTA)—Alexei
plight of the great body of for this purpose, which was sup-
people in the Soviet Union ported by 63 other Senators Adjubei, editor of Izvestia and
whose human right to freedom from all parts of the country, son-in-law of Soviet Premier
of religious exercise is substan- representing different points of Khrushchev, denied here
tially curtailed.
view in both political parties, charges of anti-Semitism in
the Soviet Union. He was in
Justice Goldberg enumerated "who shared in the belief that France as a guest of the France-
it
is
time
for
the
Senate
to
take
specific discriminations prac-
USSR. Association. He sought to
ticed against Jews in the Soviet an official stand on the Soviet refute such charges by point-
Union, as compared with the Government's systematic policy ing out, "for example," that,
-
rights enjoyed by other nation- of Jewish persecution.
during his visit to France, he
"The chairman of the Sen- had turned over editorial direc-
alities in the USSR. "Jews," he
said, "are vilified in the Soviet ate Foreign Relations Com- tion of one of the leading news-
press and other mass media mittee, Sen. J. William Ful- papers in the Soviet Union to
bright, has assured me that a Jew.
which reflect hostility to the
Jewish people as such. This has hearings will be held on my
Plight of Soviet Jewry
reached such proportions that resolution," said Sen. Ribi-
Plagues Alexis Adjubei
Western Communist parties, coff. "1 am hopeful they will
on French Radio Interview
which generally follow slavishly take place at an early date,
the Kremlin line, have been and be followed by prompt
PARIS (JTA) — Alexis Ad-
moved to protest the publica- passage of the resolution. The jubei, editor of Izvestia, official
tion of a blatantly anti-Semitic Soviet Government will feel organ of the Soviet government,
book, published late last year the force of public opinion and Premier Nikita Khrush-
in Kiev, copies of which have aroused in this nation and chev's son-in-law, faced a bar-
just come to light in this coun- throughout the world," he rage of questions here on the
try and in the rest of the West- stated. "Since Soviet Jews are
plight of Soviet Jewry, during
utterly helpless, defenseless a nationwide radio interview
ern world.
and without voice, we must - Sunday night. He denied strong-
"This book, 'Judaism With-
do for them what they cannot ly that "anti-Semitism could ex-
out Embellishment,' " he said,
do for themselves," he de- ist in the Soviet Union," al-
"is not a privately printed
clared.
though he admitted that vest-
tract; it was officially issued
Rabbi Miller reported among iges of anti-Semitism and racism
by the Ukrainian Academy of
Science and had a substantial other things that 396 syna- can still exist. "In every society,
press run in the Ukrainian gogues have been closed in Rus- including ours, individuals are
language. I have seen this sia during the last seven years, to be found who have been con-
book, and its cartoons are and that less than 100 have re- taminated by such feelings," he
sharply reminiscent of Julius mained now, according to offi- declared.
Expressing "surprise" at the
Streicher's Der Stuermer, cial publications in the Soviet
that notorious Nazi publica- Union. He also drew attention fact that, since his arrival in
to tha fact that Jewish ceme- France last week he has been
tion."
teries
have been and are being constantly questioned on this
The Supreme Court of Jus-
subject, Adjubei claimed that
tice said he noted that the hier- closed in Moscow, Kiev and the book published in Kiev, "Ju-
Minsk.
He
stressed
the
fact
htat
archy of the Soviet Ideological
daism Without Embellishment,"
Committee of the Communist some 200 Jews have been sen- should have treated with "the
tenced
to
death
for
alleged
Party has issued what appears
indifference which it deserved
to be a partial repudiation of "economic crimes," and that no and not played up as an issue."
"Judaism Without Embellish- Jewish book has been published "We had to condemn the book
ment." "This is welcome, if in the Soviet Union in the last although the best method to
somewhat belated," he said, two years, nor have any cul- deal with it would have been to
"but in itself demonstrates the tural institutions, closed during ignore it altogether," he added.
value of forthright, worldwide the Stalin purge, been permitted
Soviet Foreign Ministry
protest against manifestations to reopen.
Slams 'Intrusion' in Affairs
of anti-Semitism."
"It is true," he said, "that
WASHINGTON, (JTA)—Sen.
Justice Goldberg also touch- Soviet Russia has always been
ed on the play "The Deputy." opposed to religion. It is true Jacob K. Javits made public
He said. "I am one who, hav- that there have been certain a letter from Assistant Secre-
ing read the full text of Rolf laws applicable to all religions tary of State Frederick Dutton
H o c h h u t h's controversial that have hampered and imped- which said that the Soviet
play, 'The Deputy,' and who ed religious development and Foreign Ministry called "an in-
having lived through those progress. It is true that the trusion in the internal affairs
terrible days, believe that the Jewish religion has suffered in of the Soviet Union" the ship-
dramatist did not do justice some degree as part of these ment of parcels of matzohs to
to that great and good Pon- limitations. But we have in Rus- Soviet Jews. The Soviet stand
tiff, Pope Pius XII. Jews are sia, insofar as our people are was in flat contradiction with
and should be grateful for concerned, a discrimination the fact that the parcels were
what the Pope and the Cath- within a discrimination. The shipped on the basis of Soviet
olic Church did to rescue in- tragic story of today's situation Union agreement to such ship-
nocent Jewish victims of of Russian Jewry needs to be ments.
The Soviet attitude was dis-
Nazi insanity and barbarism. told again and again."
But whatever one's views
Earlier reports from Washing- closed in the Ministry's reply
about the play's characteriza- ton that the organizers of the to repeated inquiries by the
tion of the Pope, all men of conference sent a cable to Sov- American Embassy in Moscow.
good will must agree with the iet. Premier Nikita Khrushchev, From the Dutton letter it ap-
ancient Biblical tea c h in g asking him for comment on the pears that the American Em-
echoed in the play, that we issues which the conference is bassy in Moscow went into con-
siderable trouble on this matter
are indeed our brother's discussing, were denied.
and finally received a rather
keeper, and that it is the duty
The 24 cosponsoring organi- rude reply from the Soviet
of all men at all times and zations of the conference are:
under all circumstances to American Jewish Committee, Foreign Ministry.
speak out against the denial American Jewish C o n g r es s,
Report on meeting of
of human rights whenever American Israel Public Affairs
and wherever such denial oc- Committee, American Trade' Jewish delegation with
curs. In matters of conscience, Union Council for Histadrut,
President Johnson a n d
there can be no missing American Zionist Council, Bnai Secretary of State Rusk,
voices."
Brith, Central Conference of and other related stories
Senator Ribicoff reviewed the American Rabbis, Conference on Russian situation, on
situation of the Jews in the of Presidents of Major Ameni- Page 26.
C