Russian Jew Finds New Life in Israel;
Takes Heart From Response of U.S. Youth
BY DR. JACK STANZLER
In Cleveland, at the annual
meeting of the NCRAC (National
Community Relations Advisory
Council), we were privileged to
hear a speech by a recent immi-
grant to Israel from Russia. We do
not know his name, he spoke in
Russian. The speech was trans-
lated for all of us and told a re-
markable story—the story of a
Jewish boy in Minsk who saw his
family and friends taken to the
outskirts of town by the Nazis,
shot and buried in mass graves.
Ho survived two Nazi concentra-
tion camps. After the war he was
sent to a Russian concentration
camp on two separate occasions.
His last six years in a Russian
concentratiim camp were spent
because he had a growing sense
of Jewish identity and wanted to
live as a Jew in Israel. The re-
sponse of his government was to
imprison him in a concentration
came in Siberia. At last he was
freed and eventually received a
visa. About one year ago he left
Russia and went to Israel.
Ile told the group that there is
a growing sense of Jewishness
particularly among the young
people. They are defiant in spite
of the risks involved, and readily
identity themselves as Jews. He ,
told the group that things are diffi-
cult for Jews particularly if they
Youth on
the Move
National Merit letters of . com-
mendation were presented to Cen-
tral High School graduates Debor-
ah Arenson and Mitchell Sorscher.
Graduating from Flint North-
western High School with high dis-
tinction was Gail Fay Scho.
Northern High School graduated
with high distinction Robert David
Hanflik, Sander H. Schoichet and
Warren David Siegel; with dis-
tinction, Jody Michelle Makrouer
and Wendy Gay Siegel.
Among the pupils from 15 Flint
schools who received top ratings
at the annual s olo and ensemble
music festival for elementary and
junior highs are Lori Suber, Lynne
Aaronson, Barbara Faller. Joel
Kaufman. Ilelen Bas and Rand
Simherg.
Marlene Katz and Ellen Levey
have Mined the seven-week Histad-
rut tour in Israel. The group will
tour for two weeks and work on
a kibutz for the balance of the
summer.
s
Flint graduates from Eastern
Michigan University are Marilyn
Richman and Luann Bernstein.
Flint Central High School gradu-
ates, with high distinction are
Deborah Aronson, Robert Gutter-
man, Fred Ocher, Mitchell Sors-
cher and Maxine Tulpan. Michi-
gan Higher Education Certificates
of Recognition went to Deborah
Arenson, David Osher Fred Osher
and Mitchell Sorscher.
University of Michigan College
Awardees are Robert Gutterman
and Fred Osher. Departmental
Awards went to Mitchell Sorscher,
debate; Welch Talent Search cer-
tificate; Deborah. Arenson and
Fred Osher received American
Legion Award; Fred Osher, and
Deborah Arenson, Grace Pinel
Scholarship.
He recalled the fear that th e
take any pride in their identity.
Some young people have learned Russian Jews felt when confronted
some Hebrew and sing Jewish with the question of identification
songs. Some have learned Yiddish required on all documents and
from the elders. There is a grow boldly printed thereon-admission
ing tendency to further identify papers to hospitals, etc.
with Israel and the survival of
The older people cringe when
Jewish Peoplehood.
they state they are Jews. The
younger Jews—even with no re-
lie said that life was made
ligious feeling—state more boldly
more bearable by the thought
that Jewish brothers elsewhere
and with even greater pride—that
cared and demonstrated against
they are Jews. He told us that the
the plight of the Soviet Jew. He
Jews of Russia take interest in the
felt that these demonstrations
news of the world and now par-
were helpful to the cause of our
ticularly Israel.
Russian brothers. It helped them
It was through the radio, visitors.
spiritually to know that others
and some mail that they learned
care. It was a very poignant
of our activities in support of
presentation and we were all
their cause Their young people
moved by his words.
have inspired ours, and ours have
inspired theirs.
Russian synagogues have con-
tinued to decrease in numebr and
have become a meeting place for
the exchange and maintenance of
Jewish culture. The government
doesn't allow a rabbi to head a
synagogue, although some rabbis
.
•
yx..• are still available. Some young
The next morning, my wife Jewish kids of Russia attend the
Phoebe and I went to breakfast synagogues. They are different
and we saw our ex-Russian, now from their parents—"they walk
Israeli, guest enter the restaurant straight—not hunched over and
If. I invited
him over to • they hold their heads high and
b himself.
'
by
join us. He said haltingly "Little when they are asked what they
English." Summoning all the Yid- are, they answer with pride a Jew.
dish I had at my disposal. I said, They no longer whisper' it."
This quiet new Israeli citizen
"Mein weib redt Yiddish" . .
Our first problem was to order felt that his Exodus from Russia
breakfast for him which we did was hastened by the type of ac-
between Russian. Yiddish and He- tivities in which he was engaged.
brew. My contribution was that I He was told that he was "contam-
recognized "ashkelon" as grape- inating the youth."
He had never married. He felt
fruit.
He works as a physiotherapist that his chance for escaping was
and studied Hebrew in the ulpan better without a wife. Although he
when he first went to Israel one lost his family to the Nazi murder-
year ago. He was given two weeks ers, a family with his name in
notice that he could leave Russia. Israel began to write to him. The
He had involved himself in some letters were very affectionate and
ways with the youth "movement." ' apnarently convinced the Russian
r ; authorities that he had family in
Their synagogue was taken over
for barracks by Soviet authorities. Israel that desired him to join
They bought another small build- them. (This is the only way Jews
ing. This, too was eventually taken will be released from Russia.)
for troops.
He had only two weeks to say
1 Eventually they bought a small goodby to his friends and to get
house in a farm land surrounding ready to leave Russia.
the city and used this not really
I told him about our Simhat
as a synagogue, but as a meeting
Torah demonstration and how
house. They would talk together
the rain poured down on our
'about the news they heard on
city to the point where I sug-
Radio Free Europe, German sta-
gested nerhaps we could ride in
. tions and Kol Yisroel (the voice
automobiles uo Saginaw street,
of Israel).They would sing Jewish
but you kids said, "If the Jews
songs together.
in Moscow can dance in the snow
He told us of the life in a Siber-
we can walk in the rain." Th , s
ian prison where he spent six
story made him very happy. We
years. It was here that he learned
were all proud of our youngsters
Yiddish from the elder Jews also
that day.
Imprisoned there. One of the pris-
I hone you youngsters, not juSt
oners was a writer and obtained
in
Flint, are planning another
a copy of "Exodus" written in
English. He translated it into Rus- even more exciting demonstration
for
the Simhat Torah this year,
sian and wrote it out by hand.
The pages from a Russian school and that everybody who reads this,
including
adults, will join in what-
book were torn out and this copy
of "Exodus" was inserted. This ever program is planned to show
treasure was passed about so all our support for our brothers still
the prisoners could read the story held in the Soviet Union against
their will.
of Israel.
He told us about how people
are watched in the Soviet Union
—particularly if they are sus-
pected of any activities contrary
to governmental dictates. For
TEL AVIV, (JTA)—A delega-
instance, once you apply for a
tion of Israeli mayors left for Len-
visa to leave, the harassment
ingrad to attend the International
is rapidly increased so that all
Conference of Twin Cities. Twin
of your activities are watched
cities are cities in different coun-
by "big brother."
He described how Russian Jews tries that have "adopted" each
other.
watched visitors from Mogen
Davids or Yiddish newspapers so
Mayor Oved Ben Ami of Nathan-
they could identify them as Jews. ya, headed the group which in-
Two people meeting like this might cluded the mayors of Tel Aviv be-
get the opportunity to speak to- cause Moscow does not recognize
gether in the park or in a restau- Israel's sovereignty over East Je-
Flint
News
rant.
It was hard for us to believe
that restaurants frequented by vis.
itors to Russia are "bugged." He
described not just bugging but
two-way mirrors and television
cameras also used for observation
At the June convention of the by authorities. He told us that he
Israeli Mayors at
Leningrad Parley
rusalem. The other mayors left
here without visas but expect to
pick them up at the Soviet Em-
bassy in Paris.
The delegation is the first from
Israel to the Soviet Union since
the June, 1967 Six-Day War when
Russia broke diplomatic relations
had once talked with a Jewish wit hlsrael.
Jewish War Veterans Ladies Aux
visitor
to
the
Soviet
Union
The Twin Cities conference opens
in
his
iliary in Detroit, Mrs. Ira C. Scho
of Flint was appointed aid to Is- hotel room, and a year later the today and lasts for three days. All
rael chairman for the department tape of the entire conversation was the delegates will be conducted on
a tour of 20 Soviet cities.
produced at his hearing.
of Michigan.
Comings .
and
... Goings
Community
Council
Report
Community
Calendar
July 13—Camp Maccabbee Sec-
ond Session Begins.
16—Beth Israel Board of
Education Meeting, 8
p.m.
After many hours of debate, in-
vestigation, research and consul-
tation, the BY LAWS COMMIT-
TE , chaired by Dr. H. M. Gold-
en, reported completion of a draft
of a new constitution for the Flint
Jewish Community Council. As
To Mr. and Mrs. Orin Ross
the constitution has not been re-
vised since 1957, the committee (Susan Engelman) of Oak Park,
a
daughter, Cynthia Faith.
considered many changes, pre-
sented as amendments at the last
board of governors meeting June
Spectacles
30.
With a Spectacular Guarantee
Alfred Klein, president of the
Flint Jewish Community Council,
noted that one of the amendments,
voted on and approved, is the
PRESCRIPTION OPTICAL CO.
addition of youth representation
26001 Coolidge
543-3343
to the council board. A new classi-
fication associate affiliate, has
been established for youth groups,
each of which will be entitled to
two voting representatives on the
council's governing body. They
will have all privileges of other
delegates except the right to hold
OUR DESIGNERS
office.
WILL HELP YOU
Many other amendments were
considered, and most of them
were adopted.
Hats for
Dr. Golden requested that all
Mothers of the
interested parties contact the coun-
Bride and Groom
cil office for a copy of the new by-
laws.
Cost Less
Members of the bylaws commit-
at
tee were Michael Pelavin, co-
chairman with Dr. Golden; Dr.
Saul Gorne, Mrs. Marc Lebster
and Dr. Ira Marder.
Northland
Births
BRIDAL VEILS
and HEAD PIECES
BRENNAN'S
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, July 10, 1970-18
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