'13—Friday,'Junuary 16, 1970
TNE'DEfROIt'JEWISiti NEWS
Novosti's Game of Statistics
Can't Hide Soviet Jewry's Plight
By MOSHE DECrER
(Copyright 1970. JTA. Inc.)
(This is the conclusion of a two-part
series by Dr. Ureter, head of Jewish
Minorities Research, in reply to a
lengthy document circulated by Novosti,
the Soviet propaganda agency, depict-
ing the life of Soviet Jewry as "happy")
As far as the Jewish religion
goes, the situation in the Soviet
Union is tragic in the extreme.
Despite the repeated prevarica-
tions from Moscow, there is no
yeshiva there. There are only three
old men sitting in a room on the
crowded, narrow second floor of
the main synagogue, studying
Talmud; that "yeshiva" has never
produced a rabbi, nor one serving
any congregation.
Novosti claims there are "about"
100 synagogues functioning. Close
students of the problem have been
unable to locate more than 60—
odd cities where synagogues are
in use. There also are 300 "min-
yans" in various places. In Soviet
terms, minyans are unregistered
—and therefore illegal—congrega-
tions. How, then, do the authorities
know of their existence, except
through informers and secret po-
lice? Indeed, the synagogues
themselves are infested with those
creatures.
And, regardless of whether
there are 100 synagogues or less
there are only three function.
ing rabbis, two of them over the
age of 75, and no young replace.
ments in sight. And the 300
minyanim (or more) exist large-
ly because there are not enough
—
synagogues.
This is, in a way, corroborated
inadvertently by Novosti's own
game of staistics. Though there is
"no official registration of believ-
ers"—believe it or not—"selective
sociological investigation" has re-
vealed that in the Russian and
Ukrainian republics Jewish believ-
ers amount to between 3 and 6 per
cent of all Jews: 5 to 9 per cent in
the Baltic countries: 7 to 12 per
cent in the Caucasus.
Novosti's transparent intention
was to demonstrate how few Jew-
ish faithful there are. But in the
Russian republic and the Ukraine,
that low percentage comes to be-
tween 52,000 and 103,000. (With
only a handful of syngogues and
three superannuated rabbis.) In
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the Baltic countries, the figures
come to between 3,400 and 6.500--
with few synagogues and no rab-
bis.
There is no mention of such
great Jewish centers as Bielorus-
sia, with its 150,000 Jews, and
Moldavia with 95.000. Nor must
we ever forget that all Soviet
statistics on Jewish population
consistently depress the numbers.
It is true, as Novosti reports,
that not more than 20 per cent
of all Soviet Jews, some half a
; million, cited Yiddish as their
mother tongue.
Novosti cites these figures to
show how low they are, how little
i interested the Soviet Jews are. But
rather than being low, these fig-
; ures, even if accurate, are actual-
ly high—considering the fantastic
depredations made upon Yiddish
and its culture and institutions in
the past quarter-century.
These statistics actually reveal
the resilience and strength, rather
than indifference, of the Jews. This
is especially true in places- like
Lithuania, Moldavia and Latvia.
Yes, Novosti is quite correct in
asserting that assimilation has
gone on apace among Soviet Jews.
But it is forcible assimilation.
not voluntary, as many Communist
critics all over the world have
dared to point out. For, judging
by all of Jewish history and even
by the achievements of an earlier
era of Soviet Jews, it is inconcei-
vable that Soviet Jewry, allowed
a measure of autonomy, would
not have created a thriving and
vital network of communal and
cultural institutions, even within
the Soviet context.
One more thing Novosti has
omitted — the national renascence
taking place among large segments
of Soviet Jewish youth. Unpredict-
ed, unheralded, inexplicable, this
phenomenon is turning into one of
the glories of 20th Century Jewish
history. The Soviet policy of de-
privation, discrimination and for-
cible assimilation has failed.
Now Soviet Jews themselves are
daring to demand their natural
human right to leave the country
to gc, to Israel, not only to achieve
family reunion, but to attain na-
tional reunion.
Sarnoff Ends
60-Year Career
as RCA Head
Help Plant
a Women's Forest
in Israel .. .
Attend the 40th Annual
WOMEN OF JNF
DONOR TEA
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1970, 12 NOON,
TEMPLE ISRAEL, 17400 MANDERSON
Featuring
DR. STUART
STUART E. ROSENBERG
Beth Zedek Synagogue,
Toronto
Internationally
known
Author.
Orator
and
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Brig. Gen. David Sarnoff, 79,
who helped launch the giant
communications
company 60
years ago, has retired as chair-
man of the board of RCA Corp.,
ending 60 years as an execu-
tive. He was succeeded by his
son, Robert W. Sarnoff, presi-
dent since 1966. The elder Sar-
noff was elected the first hon-
orary chairman in RCA's his-
tory. He has been ailing. It is
said that Sarnoff envisioned both
radio and TV as we know them
today.
"Women of JNF" Officers ,left to right)
Mrs. Jules Kraft, Program chairman; Mrs. Albert Posen, President
Mrs. William Levin, Fund-raising chairman.
The Detroit "Women of JNF" is the only organization of its
kind in the nation. With nearly 1,000 members, it is active
in raising funds for the development of land in Israel in all
its forms — soil reclamation, drainage, afforestation, road
building, etc. . . .
The Women of Jewish National Fund
22100 Greenfield, Oak Park
399-0820