Fasting Youth at UN Dramatizes Plight of Jews in Soviet Union
JERUSALEM (JTA)—The Israel
government pledged that it will
never be indifferent to the fate of
Soviet Jews but urged a Russian-
born 23-year-old Israeli youth in
New York to end his hunger strike
against the Kremlin's repressive
policies. The message from the
Israel Cabinet was delivered by
the Israeli consul, Yaacov Aviad,
to Yasha Kazakov who has been
fasting outside United Nations
headquarters since March 25
But the young man said he felt
strong enough to continue his fast
and would do so. He was examined
by the consulate's physician who
found him in fair condition and not
in need of hospitalization. The
message, which was made public
after a cabinet meeting here ob-
served that "The moral and poli-
tical struggle for the rights of Jews
in the Soviet Union to immigrate
to Israel is the responsibility of the
whole Jewish people and more so,
of the state of Israel."
Wednesday as "a demonstration
reflective of the oppressive condi-
tions under which 3,000,000 Jews in
the Soviet Union are forced to
live."
(Rabbi Herschel Schachter,
chairman of the American Jewish
Conference on Soviet Jewry, called
on "all men of conscience" to join
in demanding an end to the re-
pression of Soviet Jews, as the
Kazakov fast dramatizes.)
Meanwhile, the Israel Foreign
Ministry dismissed as "utter fabri-
cation" charges published in the
Soviet newspaper Izvestia that cer-
tain Jewish tourists in the USSR
were serving as spies for Israel.
A ministry spokesman said the
charges were a continuation of
the anti-Israel "smear campaign"
th a t has been going on in the
Soviet Union for some time.
Izvestia claimed Monday that an
American woman, posing as a
tourist, was an Israeli intelligence
agent sent to get secret informa-
(See Commentary, Page 2)
tion about Russia's space pro-
Young Kazakov camped at the gram.
It identified her as Feiga
Isaiah Wall on Dag Hammars-
Kroun, but did not say whether
kjold Plaza in order to call world
she was in Russia or whether
attention to the plight of Russian
she was arrested.
Jewry, specifically his own family
It accused another tourist, iden-
which was repeatedly denied an
exit visa by Soviet authorities. The tified only as Mr. Dugan, of work-
ing
for Israeli intelligence in
youth was permitted to leave Rus-
sia a year ago after renouncing his Odessa. Israel was accused of re-
Soviet citizenship and has become cruiting tourists as spies since the
an Israeli citizen. He is enrolled at Soviet Union broke off diplomatic
the Haifa Technion. The Israel relations with Jerusalem during
Cabinet, while asking him to end the Six-Day War.
Some 200 students took part in
his fast, said "The heart of every
Jew, every man in Israel and, we
beli...ve, every man with a con-
science throughout the world beats
together with him in his just strug-
gle."
Kazakov told the JTA last week
that his father, Joseph, lost his job
and was being harassed in the
Soviet press after he joined 38
other Moscow Jews in a letter to
the Soviet Foreign Ministry press-
ing for emigration rights. The let-
ter was published abroad, a fact
that incensed Soviet authorities.
The Kazakov family also wrote for
help to Premier Golda Meir, who
promised to give the case her spe-
cial attention. That letter too was
made available to Western corre-
spondents. A copy of it was given
to young Kazakov March 28 by
Mrs. Gitta Iddan of the Israeli
Consulate in New York. Meanwhile,
Yasha's father, Joseph Kazakov,
and his family continue to petition
the Soviet Union for permission to
a two-hour teach-in for Soviet Jew-
ry at City College of New York
Kazakov's fast was described
Other speakers Included Rabbi
Israel Miller, chairman of the
American Jewish Conference on
Soviet Jewry, and a former Rus-
sian Jewess, Mrs. Laya Slavin,
who settled in Israel and has
come to the United States to
testify before the United Nations
Human Rights Commission on
the status of Soviet Jewry.
As part of a general appeal to
•
OPENER
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
the Jewish community to avoid 12—Friday, April 3, 1970
performances by artists and
sportsmen from the Soviet Union
and other countries practicing
Jewish repression, the New South
Wales Jewish Board of Deputies
has called for a boycott of the up-
coming appearances of the Georg-
ian (USSR Otate Dance Co. and
the Warsaw Philharmonic Orches-
tra. The action is also endorsed
by the Victorian Jewish Board
of Deputies.
Coll Evenings Until 9
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SAVINGS ACCOUNTS ARE
Five vandals defaced 28 pic-
tures Friday at a "USSR Photo
'70" exhibit at the New York Cul-
tural Center, according to witnes-
ses questioned by the police. No
motive has been established and
no suspects apprehended.
The Jewish Defense League,
V-E-E-R-R-Y INTEREST
GIVING
5
which advocates violent action
against anti-Israel interests in the
United States, said it has "nothing
but praise for those gallant per-
sons who, seeing the plight of
Soviet Jewry . . . took those steps
which they deemed necessary to
spotlight the plight-... to a world
that would much rather forget
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Serving B'nai B'rith Members
NEW YORK (JTA)—The Salute
to Israel Parade will be held May
10, the eve of Israel's 22nd birth-
day. The theme of the parade—
"Israel's Blossoming From 4,000-
Year Roots"—will be symbolized
by a modern menora sprouting
leaves to emphasize that Israel as
a state as well as a people, is
deeply rooted with a 4,000-year
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you must have $2,000 in your regular
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Rabbi, Wife Live on Isolated Island
The city provides the chaplains
with their living quarters, basic
food supplies, laundry and house-
keeping services, a telephone and
maintenance.
Each family gets food deliveries
twice a week.
If any of the families need any-
thing else, someone has to ride an
elevator to the bridge and use one
GARAGE DOOR
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about them.
A spokesman for the police de-
partment said the exhibit was on
an upper floor and that the van-
dals had apparently infiltrated the
Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry, center by means other than the
who visited the Soviet Union last front entrance, where possesOons
summer, told the students that a must be checked.
pervasive fear affected Soviet
The Jewish communities of Ar-
Jews.
gentina, and representatives of
He reported that he and a youth movements and Zionist par-
cousin, an Orthodox Jewess, at- ties from all over Latin America
tended services at a synagogue will come together in Buenos Aires
and othey were asked to sit in May 17 to protest the anti-Jewish
front of the sanctuary. When the and anti-Israel policy of the Soviet
girl protested, the congregation Union, and to demand the freedom
president said that while normally, of emigration for those Jews of
the ban on mixed seating of men the Soviet Union who want to
and women was observed, the visi- leave, according to a report re-
tors were asked to sit together in leased by the World Jewish Con-
front so that they would not talk to gress.
Catholic chaplains, a fire depart-
ment training center, a home for
delinquent boys, the residences
of the three chaplains and the
remnants of a one-time asylum
for mental patients.
Vernco ELECTRONIC
This was announced in Buenos
Aires after a meeting of the
Argentine and Uruguayan mem-
bers of the Latin American Jew-
ish Congress. The rally in
Buenos Aires will be preceded
by the Third Plenary Session of
the Latin American Jewish Con-
gress, branch of the World Jew-
ish Congress, scheduled May 14-
sponsored by an ad hoc Soviet Jew-
ry Committee.
Dennis Prager, representing the
NEW YORK (JTA)—A Conserva-
tive rabbi and his wife have lived
emigrate to Israel. His latest letter for 16 years in one of the most
to the Kremlin leaders, sent March isolated areas of New York City—
20, explained that his son's fast an island in the East River be-
was a "desperate measure" that tween Manhattan and Queens—and
was "motivated fully by the futility they love it.
of all the efforts we have made to
The Grossman are one of
get permission to leave," and was
three clerical families who have
not intended to "harm the Soviet permanent residence on Welfare
Union."
Island, connected to the rest of
Thousands of Israeli high school
the bustling metropolis by the
students from all parts of the
Queenboro Bridge, which arches
country gathered in a four-hour far above the island. The Gross-
vigil in front of the Knesset Mon-
mans are the senior islanders.
day to demonstrate their solidarity
Rabbi Grossman is the Jewish
with Kazakov.
chaplain for the' Bird S. Cater
Chief Rabbi Itlhak Nissim pub- Memorial Hospital and Home,
lished a statement praising the where currently 130 aged and in-
youth for "honoring the name of , firm Jews live. Named to the post
Israel" and observing the corn- by the New York Board of Rabbis,
mandment, "Thou Shalt Honor Rabbi Grossman live with Mrs.
Thy Father and Mother." The Grossman in a one-time synagogue
student demonstration was or- which is at least 40 years old.
The other two permanent resident
ganized by the National Union of
Students in Israel. Other youth or- families are those of a Protestant
ganizations participated.
chaplain and a Catholic chaplain.
The Coler hospital is at the north
Chief Rabbi Nissim said "His
(Kazakov's) cause is worthy of end of the island.
Another city hospital, Gold-
awakening. every person in the
water Memorial, is at the south
world to whom morality and con-
end.
In between are some aban-
science have meaning so that they
doned buildings, a residence for
join in his struggle until justice
becomes obvious to all."
the congregants.
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