Heckling of Moscow Rabbi Deplored in -U.S. and Israel.
TEL AVIV (JTA)—Dr. Nahum
Goldmann told the Jewish Tele-
graphic Agency in an interview
here that he strongly condemned
and deplored catcalls and jeers
directed at Rabbi Yehuda Leib
Levin of Moscow by some mem-
bers of the audience at the rabbi's
first public appearance in New
York last Wednesday night. Dr.
Goldmann, president of the World
Jewish Congress and former pres-
ident of the World Zionist Organ-
ization, said such action was a vio-
lation of human decency and Jew-
ish tradition which enjoins Jews
not to judge a fellow man before
putting himself in that person's
position.
Rabbi Levin, whose trip to the
United States is sponsored by the
anti-Zionist American Council for
Judaism, was heckled at Hunter
College when he denied the exist-
ence of anti-Semitism in the So-
viet Union.
"That demonstration showed a
lack of understanding for the
delicate position of Soviet Jewry
and especially for the position of
Rabbi Levin who is trying under
difficult circumstances to main-
tain Jewish religious life in
Russia," Dr. Goldmann said.
"It did great harm to the
strenuous efforts that have been
going on for years to establish
.contact between Soviet Jewry
and Jewish communities outside
of the Soviet Union." Dr. Gold-
mann added that while he wish-
ed that the rabbi's American
visit was not sponsored by a
anti-Israel group in the U.S., it
was nevertheless an important
precedent "which I hope and
pray will be followed up by other
contacts with more representa-
tive groups of world Jewry."
The Laborite daily newspaper,
Lamerhav also deplored the dem-
onstration against Rabbi Levin
but noted that because he cannot
be regarded as representing Rus-
sian Jewry but is "a tragic tool in
the hands of anti-Zionists, both in
Russia and in the U.S."
(The American Jewish Congress
denounced the "disorderly and dis-
courteous treatment" of Rabbi
Levin at Hunter College. The
statement said that Rabbi Levin,
as a guest, was "entitled to have
his say no matter how profoundly
we disagree with him." It added:
"The facts of official Soviet dis-
crimination against Jewish cul-
tural and religious life in the USSR
are well established. We • recognize
that the conditions of Rabbi
Levin's visit make it impossible
for him to be forthright and can-
did in his description of the plight
of Soviet Jewry."
(The Washington Post editorial
denounced New York Jews for
having "behaved scandalously" at
Rabbi Levin's public appearance.
The paper said the hecklers used
a tactic that "has no proper place
in this country.")
NEW YORK (JTA)—Rabbi Ye-
huda Leib Levin of Moscow .react-
ed to a hostile reception he receiv-
ed last night during a speech at
Hunter College in which he denied
there was anti-Semitism in the So-
viet Union, it was reported by a
leading Orthodox rabbi close to the
Moscow rabbi. Rabbi Pinhas M.
Teitz, a member of the presidium
of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis
of the spiritual leader of the Jew-
ish Education Center in Elizabeth,
N.J., also reported that the 74-
ye ar-old Moscow rabbi told him
the Hunter College uproar would
not affect his plans to meet with
and learn about American Jews.
An estimated 1,000 persons
attended a reception at the Eliza-
beth synagogue, given for Rabbi
Levin and for Cantor David Stis-
kin of Leningrad, who is accom-
panying Rabbi Levin on his first
visit to the United States.
Rabbi Teitz was host at the
reception as
president of the
Union's New Jersey chapter.
Rabbi Levin said at the Eliza-
beth reception that he had been
asked whether he had been given
any directives by Soviet authori-
ties on what w should talk about.
He said he was
s a told only to es-
tablish contacts with American
Jews and to seek to influence
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, June 28, 1968-15
American leaders to help promote daily here in an overseas tele- tees to its ethnic group of three
peace. Two pickets marched out- phone conversation that any in- million Jews, as it does to all other
side the synagogue during the re- vitation to him to visit Israel ethnic minorities, the right to pre
ception. They carried signs de- should be put in writing because serve their cultural and religious
Keep It Simple
claring that Rabbi Levin was a "one cannot talk about such things identity. We wonder, therefore
start
with but a single
We
representative of Communism. over the phone." The editors of why five and a half million Jews
thought
in
the
U.S.
are
able
to
provide
the
They were reported to represent Yediot Achronot, who placed the
A thought to us God has endued
the International Council of Chris- call, had asked , Rabbi Levin if kinds of facilities described above Then add and add and add
tian Churches in Collingswood, "there is any possibility that you while three million Jews in the
we do
Until the thought God gave
N.J., described as a right-wing will come to pray near the West- Soviet Union are not able to pro-
vide religious or cultural educa-
is gone.
group. Their names were Rev. ern Wall?"
tion of anykind to their several i
Carl McIntire and Rev. Hal Webb.
Richard Palmer
The New York Times Monday
On a CBS radio program, carried an advertisement consis- hundred thousand children."
"World of Religion," taped for ting of an "open letter to the
broadcast Sunday, Rabbi Levin was Chief Rabbi of Moscow" from the
asked about charges of official American Association for Jewish
anti-Semitism in the Soviet Union. Education which deplored the lack
As in prior public statements, he of Jewish spiritual and cultural
denied it, saying "all the restric- facilities in the Soviet Union The
tions on culture, work and similar letter described in detail the ex-
matters were eliminated and the tent of Jewish education in the
Jews have the same rights as U.S. where "almost 600,000 of our
other nationalities." In reply to children between the ages of five
another question, he said that un- and 17 regularly receive Jewish
til the Soviet Union severed diplo- religious and cultural education in
matic ties with Israel- during the a large system of one-day, after-
June, 1967 war, "there was a large noon and all-day Hebrew schools."
Get the jump on summer heat! Install fast-
and swift immigration" of Soviet The letter also noted that the
Jews to Israel but that since then Jewish educational establishment
cooling Thermo King auto air conditioning
the family reunion program had here was supported voluntarily by
now. Low cost one day installation on any car.
been halted. He added that charges American Jews to the extent of
of Soviet anti-Semitism stemmed nearly $100 million per year. "No
from "bad tongues, evil tongues, doubt our brothers in the Soviet
those that engage in gossip."
Union will be thrilled to learn
24750 FIVE MILE.
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Detroit, Mich. 48239
532-1097
Rabbi Yehuda Leib Levin to the said. "We are told that the Consti-
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United States today evoked ex- tution of the Soviet Union guaran-
pressions of regret from Jewish
organizations that he was apparent-
ly being used by Soviet authorities
to gloss over mistreatment of
Soviet Jewry and fresh demands
for action to alleviate plight.
Rabbi Levin, here since Monday,
accompanied by Cantor David
Stiskin of Leningrad, is touring
the United States as a guest of the
anti-Zionist American Council for
Judaism.
The American Jewish Confer-
ence on Soviet Jewry said in a
statement that "we are saddened"
that Rabbi Levin "has been
obliged to place a fine gloss over
the real and tragic plight of
Soviet Jewry. We understand the
difficulties under which he is
speaking and appreciate the sad
role he must play."
Similar reactions were expressed
at the 79th annual convention of
*SO
the Central Conference of Ameri-
can Rabbis, meeting in Boston.
Rabbi Jacob Weinstein of Chicago,
past president of the association
of reform Rabbis, told the con-
vention that while he felt com-
passion for Rabbi. Levin, he be-
lieved that the rabbi was being
"forced to serve a nefarious role
by the Soviet Government, whose
attitudes toward Jewry and Juda-
ism become less and less different
than that of the Czarist regimes."
He recalled that in the summer of
1966 he led a delegation of 22
Reform rabbis on a visit to the
Soviet Union and that, in Moscow,
one of Rabbi Levin's congregants
had told the delegation that Rabbi
Levin "speaks with lips of danger
and, therefore, one should make
the proper deductions from his
comments."
WASHINGTON (JTA) — Two
Jewish high school students from
San Francisco protested to a So-
viet Embassy official here today
against the discriminatory treat-
ment of Jews in the Soviet Union.
Andrew Kluger, 16, and David
Klonoff, 17, winners of San Fran-
cisco oratorical contest on the
plight of Soviet Jewry, met in a
spirited 90-minute session with
Soviet attache Ikar Zavrazhon at
the Soviet Embassy. The youths
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presented a petition signed by
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urged that restrictive measures
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against Soviet Jews be removed.
The students said that the Soviet
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ington" but denied that it was
fostered by the government. He
asserted that the Soviet Govern-
ment permitted its Jewish citi-
zens to establish synagogues, Heb-
rew schools and other religious
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told the editors of an afternoon
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