Plight of the 3,000,000 Jews in the Soviet Union

By JUDGE ZEEVE W. ZELTNER

(Copyright, 1969, JTA, Inc.)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Judge Zeltner is
Israel's representative on the United
Nations Human Rights Commission.
The following article was condensed
from a presentation he made to the
in Genera.
Commission recently
Judge Zeltner is an acting justice of
Israel's Supreme Court, a judge of
the Tel Aviv district court and a lec-
turer at Tel Aviv University. He seas
born in Kier, Russia, educated in
Germany and France and settled in
Israel in 1936. Judge Zeltner is the
author of several books and edits two
law journals.

•

The UN Subcommission on Hu-
man Rights at its last session dealt
with the situation of Jews in the
USSR. The answer usually given to
the arguments of the Israel and
other delegations consists in part
in a complete denial of all allega-
tions, and in part in reading out of
long lists of Jews . . . who have
attained prominent positions in the
free professions. in order to show
that Jews can be and are success-
ful in that country. In my opinion
this defense is beside the point,
and remains silent on the matter
at issue.
What are we complaining of?
There are now more than 3,000,-
000 Jews in the USSR. The
USSR is a federation of different
nationalities. A citizen is not only a
USSR citizen, but also must belong
to a given nationality. These na-
tionalities do not always have their
own territory but invariably have
their organizations, language and
culture with all their accoutre-
ments: more or less limited in-
ternal jurisdiction, schools, pub-
lishing houses, etc. Much has been
done and is being done to develop
these national values, they are
cherished and their development
has time and again been recog-
nized as a duty incumbent on the
federation.
There is only one exception to
this rule in the USSR and this is
the Jewish community. Accord.
ing to USSR statistics in 1959,
almost half a million Jews re-
corded Yiddish as their first lan-
guages but neither Yiddish or
Hebrew is among the 59 lan-
guages of instrunction in the
USSR as a whole. Nor has any
provision been made for classes,
courses, lectures or any other
facility for instruction in Jewish
history, literature and culture in
the Russian language. Neither
Yiddish nor Hebrew, nor Rus-
sian-language instruction, is
among the dozens of languages of
instruction for nationalities . . .
this despite the fact that there
are about one million Jews in
Russia—about half a million in
Moscow and about a third of a
million in Leningrad.
Tiny nationalities with virtually
no history, no literature, no cul-
ture, and an alphabet that had to
be created for them have schools
in their native languages—but the
Jews have none. There are schools
for a grand total of 12,000 Chukchi
or 6.300 Koraks—but no schools for
a million Jews.
In the Ukraine, three small na-
tional minorities each numbering
less than 400,000 have schools in
their native languages — Moldavi-
ans, Hungarians and Poles. But the
Jews, who number about one mil-
lion and who bear an ancient tra-
dition of learning in the Ukraine,
have none.
The discrimination against the
Jewish community in the field of
schooling is repeated in the field of
information. Before 1948-49, when
Stalin suppressed them, there were
hundreds of Yiddish newspapers,
weeklies and other periodicals and
hundreds of thousands of students
in Jewish schools. Today there is
an unimportant paper which ap-
pears in Biro-Bidjan—that stillborn
so-called "Jewish" territory in
Siberia, where the Jews form but
10 per cent of the population. The
paper is composed of articles
translated from other languages
into Yiddish and appears in 1,000
copies. The only other periodical
Yiddish language publication is the
"Soviet HomelAnd," since 1965 a
monthly.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
38—Friday, 'May 23, 1969

those of other faiths, from the
The USSR regime encourages na- snowball effect and bring about an when a campaign against so-called Goys, it is permitted to take away
Cosmopolitans
culminated
in
the
everything, because it is written
avalanche.
tional cultures by creating and sub-
sidizing theaters in their respective
Since June, 1967, we have fol- destruction of Jewish community down in the Scriptures, Yahve
languages—except for Yiddish. So,
lowed with increasing concern life in the Soviet Union, and the from Mount Seir had sanctified and
the Gypsies—all 132,000 of them—
and growing apprehension the ar- actual killing of Jewish intellec- given over to the Hebrews all the
throughout the USSR—are blessed
ticles, the stories, the books, the 1 tuals. We still remember the Doc- riches of the non-Jews. If the Jews
with a professional, state-support-
broadcasts, the telecasts and tors' Plot, in 1953, when innocent did not take everything into their
ed repertory theater, the Moscow
other instruments of the mass persons were accused of fantastic hands, it was only because they
Gypsy Theater. The company has
media of communication in the crimes against the persons of the did not want to deprive themselves
70 professional members and 14
Soviet Union. We can under- Russian leadership, in order to of labor force in the person of la-
full-time students at its own train-
stand that, for propaganda pur- discredit the Jews in the eyes of borers-Goys." This is the authori-
ing school. Its production runs to
poses, these mass media- find it the Soviet people. Just as that time tative picture of Judaism as drawn
300-400 performances and some-
necessary to denounce Israel, to the term Cosmopolitan served as a today in the Soviet Union, and
times even a thousand. The com-
castigate its policies and to cri- synonym for the word Jew, today this is merely an example.
pany has its own theater in Mos-
ticize its people and govern- • Zionism serves the same purpose.
We regard Kichko, and the whole
cow, seating 400.
ment. What we cannot under- Lest it not be clear enough to the phenomenon of Kichkoism, as ex-
stand is why the Soviet govern. average person, however, the So- tremely dangerous in the current
The Jews, who once had sev-
ment has permitted these pro- viet mass media have gone a step context and framework of the So-
eral great theaters (the most
nouncements and denunciations further and directly attacked viet Union, because such group-
significant one being the Yiddish
to slide almost out of hand, to Judaism. One is aware that the libeling statements are made in
State Theater in Moscow, headed
the point where the divisive line Soviet regime is committed to an government - sponsored publica-
by "Soviet People's Artist"
between anti-Israel and anti- atheistic line, and is consequently tions, and because the group in
Shlomo Mikhoels, who was mur-
Jewish propaganda is so fine and opposed to all religions.
question consists of more than
dered by the secret police in
It appears that while all reli- 3,000,000 individual Jews who live
faint
that it is hardly noticeable.
1948), saw them all shut down in
gions are equal in Soviet eyes, i on Soviet soil.
We
cannot
accept
or
condone
a
1948-49, and their leading lights
Judaism is less equal than
propaganda offensive that has
the Soviet government so sure
imprisoned or done to death in
others: it is described as a of Is
has been going on now for more
having eradicated the last ves-
the camps. Today, they must rest
criminal religion which laid the tiges
than
20
months,
constantly
vilify.
of ignorant, socially ingrain-
content with wandering troupes
foundations for all the evils of ed, anti-Semitism
ing all that pertains not only to
in its country
of amateurs, and a few aging,
latterday Zionism. And who is a that
the state of Israel but also to the
it can afford to let this non-
tired professionals, who perform
better
expert
on
this
subject
than
Jewish
people
in
general.
one and two-night stands all over
the notorious Ukrainian anti- sense see the light of day without
Not that the attacks against Is-
the country—to hundreds of thou-
Semite Trofim Kichko, who in a care as to potential repercus-
and possible consequences on
sands of enthusiastic customers. rael are easy to digest. When, for
the past was denounced in this sions
instance, a radio broadcast in Eng-
the welfare and security of these
very Commission and whose pre- 3,000,000
If there is no Jewish schooling, lish of Moscow Station "Peace and
Jews? Is the Soviet
vious book "Judaism Without government
publishing or cultural life, the Progress," beamed to the contin-
so indifferent that it
Embellishment" was withdrawn •
question arises: What does "Jewish ent of Africa, on 10 and 11 Decem-
not realize that on soil that
from circulation by the Soviet does
nationality" mean for a Jew in the ber, 1968, has the gall to announce
for
centuries
has
been soaked with
authorities as a result of pres- Jewish blood such
USSR? What does it mean for him that the Israel government has
defamation
sure by public opinion the could be explosive? Is
to be called a Jew on his identity made an agreement with the Fed-
the Soviet
world over.
card which he needs for every ac- eral Republic of Germany to or-
government not aware of the les-
tivity in a minutely regulated state- ganize mass -sterilization of the
This unsavory character was re- sons of history, its own country's
economy? This nationality does not Arab population, we quite natural- cently rehabilitated by the author- history as well?
give him any positive value, it only ly feel outraged. But what really ities, was even granted an official
We. as the victims of anti-Semi-
acknowledges his being different bothers us is the broad attack award for his nefarious activities,
from others. He is singled out as against Zionism, which has prac- and now produced a new book. tism, feel it incumbent upon us to
say
to the Soviet government: be-
being a non-Russian, a non-Ukrain- tically revived the vicious forger- The book is in front of me. It was
ian, a big difference from those. ies of the Pr4tocols of the Elders published in 60,000 copies, and is ware not Zionism but Kichkoism;
beware
anti-Semitism. Draw the
who in the USSR have a language of Zion.
entitled: "Judaism and Zionism." line and draw it now, before it is
of their own, an education of their
Anyone who follows the Russian As for its message, suffice it to too late, and before latent emo-
own• a culture of their own. The press today is bound to reach the quote the following paragraph:
slogan is: "Jews are different." conclusion that there is a Zionist "One of the commandments of tions come to the open, before dis-
Whether you call this anti-Semit- super-power in the world with ten- Judaism says: thou shalt not steal aster strikes.
ism or not is a question of seman- tacles which everywhere is prac- However, as the Khoshen Mishap
tics. It is unquestionably discrim- tically to blame for all of the ills explains, it is not allowed to steal
ination.
A BEAUTIFUL
of mankind. The aim of Zionism, only from the Haverim, that is,
One would have, perhaps, thought according to an infamous series of from those close to you. But from
that in the tragic plight of the Jew- articles by Yuri Ivanov in Nauka
ish nationality in the USSR, the I Religiya (Sciences and Religion),
AND
only outlet for Jews would have dated September through Novem-
The
FURNITURE CLEANING
been to assimilate. And indeed one ber, 1968. is "profit and enrich-
could explain the cultural discrim- ment safeguarded within the
Sheldon Rott
Satisfaction guaranteed —
ination against Jews as a policy framework of the system of imper-
Mothproofing free. Wa II-
attempting to achieve forced as- ialist power and parasitic prosper-
Orchestra
to-wall carpet cleaning.
similation. However, hundreds of ity." This series of articles later
Five cents a square foot,
thousands of young Jews demon- emerged in book form, entitled
PROFESSIONAL
minimum $15.
strate their opposition to forced "Beware: Zionism," and as the
ENTERTAINMENT
assimilation in a variety of ways. irony of fate would have it, in a
LI
7-0896
LI
5-2737
542-4735
for example, when they gather to- book-review published in Komso-
gether in large numbers in the molskaya Pravda, on Feb. 6, 1969.
streets around the few synagogues a certain I. Alexeyev charges that
during High Holidays.
the book is not elaborate enough,
This,- consequently, is the situa- and that Ivanov did not fully ex-
tion of Soviet Jewry. They are de- pose the threat of Zionism. It is
prived of any corporative life; they quite clear that in the socio-psy-
FURNITURE & UPHOLSTERING CO.
are a pulverized, atomized entity. chological vocabulary prevailing
Therefore that we repeat our de- in the Soviet Union, the term
CUSTOM
MADE FURNITURE—DRAPERIES
mand that the doors for them "Zionism" is in fact a euphemism
INTERIOR DECORATING
should be opened. If they cannot for whatever Jews stand for.
We still remember the dark
live as Jews in USSR in any mean-
15345 W. 7 MILE
273-1863
years
at
the
end
of
the
Stalin
era.
ingful sense of the word, if they are
suspect because they are Jews, at
least let them find a haven else-
where. It is justifiable—under any
humanitarian aspect to keep
3,000,000 people as prisoners on
parole?
In the last two years a new di-
mension was unfortunately added
to the problem of Soviet Jewry—
Announces Their
anti-Semitism. I use the term in its
classically accepted meaning, that
SUNDAY, MAY 25-12-5 P.M.
is to say, hatred and persecution of
Come and See the Finest Equipped Camp in the Area
Jews. Anti-Semitism is not easy to
define or to expound on a theore-
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tical basis; it is an intangible—
and, to some people, imponderable
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—concept which had defied sociolo-
± MEMBER A.C.A. AND LICENSED BY THE
gists and phychologists for ages.
STATE OF MICHIGAN
The victims have acquired—after
much dire experience—an almost
± LOWEST PRICES $30.00-$28.00-$22.00—ALL
sixth sense in divining even the
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first symptoms of anti-Semitism,
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which the rest of the world may
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still regard as scatological expres-
sions of misguided extremists. We
• SWMMING INSTRUCTION
have acquired this sixth sense by
IN CASE OF RAIN — OPEN HOUSE WILL BE HELD SUNDAY, JUNE 1
way of self-defense, because his-
tory has proved that unless mani-
Directions — Grand River Expressway to Wixom Rd., right on Wixom 1 mile
festations of anti-Semitism are
to West Rd. turn right 1/2 mile or 1-696 Expressway to Wixom. For further
stopped immediately, while there
information call Harold Kutnick—L1 8-0864 or Dave Moscow—EL 3-9119.
is still time, it is apt to develop a

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