Leningrad Sentences Condemned Throughout the World Few in Israel took seriously the The gesture had been called for - by Histadrut, whose secretary gen- assertion by Meir Wilner, leader of eral, Yitzhak Ben Aharon, visited Israel's pro-Moscow Rakach Com- the Finnish Embassy in Tel Aviv munist Party, that be bad "every with a note of protest to Moscow reason to assume that the Soviet on behalf of the union's million authorities would commute the members. Finland handles Soviet death sentences" of two of the Len- ingrad accused. Wilner, a Knesset affairs in Israel. member, made that statement at Various organizations in Israel a meeting in Haifa of the Young affiliated with world bodies con- Communist League. He justified tinued to urge the government to the Leningrad trial, taking the intervene with Soviet authorities Moscow line that the accused were on behalf of the Leningrad de- tried not because they are Jews fendants. The Israel Farmers Fed- but because they committed a eration and the Histadrut Agricul- criminal offense. tural Center appealed to the In- President Zalman Shazar appeal- ternational Farmers Organization in Paris. The Israel Medical Asso- ed to Kremlin leaders over the ciation sent a similar appeal to Israel Radio to commute the death the American Medical Association sentences in the Leningrad trial in New York. The executive of the and to permit Soviet Jews to emi- Women's International Zionist Or- grate to Israel. He said it was ganization cabled its protest to the especially cynical of the Soviet Soviet Women's Committee in authorities to pronounce sentence on Christmas Eve when they knew Moscow. that the Christian world was The Israeli branch of Amnesty celebrating. International complained to the Prayers for the Leningrad prison- organization's headquarters in Lon- don against its decision not to or- ers were voiced by a group of Dominican monks in the Church ganize a general protest against the Leningrad sentence but to let of the Holy Sepulchre in East Jeru- salem. A group of 27 Roman Cath- each national section file its own protest. Amnesty International is olics from the United States, visit- a private organization that inter- ing Jerusalem for Christmas, sent venes on behalf of political prison- a letter to the Jerusalem Post stating, "We Roman Catholic ers around the world. priests, brothers, sisters and lay More than UAW shouting, fist- teachers wish to join the Jewish shaking demonstrators jammed community in what we hope will Tel Aviv Qty Hall Square Sun- be a world-wide protest against day night, burned a red flag and the latest demonstration of Soviet cheered when Premier Golds inhumanity." Meir told them: "We • believe Archbishop Joseph Raya, head that the day will come when our of the Greek Catholic community brethren will come not only from here, sccred the trial and sentences the free world but from behind Friday as "awful" and "terrible." the Iron Curtain. The day will He said he was praying that "The come when this iron gate too will Almighty 'enlighten the minds of fall." — the Soviet leaders so that the The mass rally was typical of the death sentences will not be carried fury and emotion that swept over out." The Russian Orthodox Church Israel after the Leningrad 11 were sentenced. The anger of the Israelis Mission in Jerusalem, which is con- was fanned by news that at least trolled from Moscow, turned down 20 more Russian Jews will go on a request from Religious Affairs trial shortly in Leningrad, Riga Minister Zerach Warhaftig. to con- vey a letter to Premier Kosygin. and Kishinev. He said his church was not poli- "We have not come to beg for tical and could not perform a mercy for the Jews sentenced in political task. Leningrad. We demand justice," Foreign Minister Abba Eban said Mrs. Meir declared. "News of this sentence, this mockery of the very on a radio broadcast Friday night that Israel has approached 10 for- concept cf law has reached all corners of the world," she said. eign governments at the highest level to intervene on behalf of the "On behalf of the government of Israel and the Jewish people we Leningrad accused. Eban said, tell those who are detained and "What took place this Christmas in those already sentenced that it is Leningrad is an event of historical as though this entire people were dimensions that can be compared with them at that trial." Mrs. Meir with another trial in Paris many was heard by the thousands in the years ago (the Dreyfus trial)." He square and thousands more packed said the Leningrad sentences into side streets and on rooftops "should serve as a test to the and balconies. The City Hall facade world's conscience that will no was covered with a huge banner doubt find expression in the face proclaiming "Let My People Go." of the cruelty that has come to That theme was echoed in the light in this trial." Eban declared chants of the crowd and on the that while in the past "the libera- thousands of smaller placards and tion of Soviet Jewry was only con- sidered possible, it has now become banners they brandished. inevitable." (The official Soviet news agency In an unprecedented manifesta- Tass dismissed the Israeli reaction to the sentences as "another fit of tion of unity between government anti-Soviet hysteria." Tass charged and opposition here, the Knesset that "Zionist circles" were "inter- unanimously adopted on Friday a fering with Soviet judicial proce- resolution urging revocation of the dure" and claimed that interna- two Leningrad death sentences, tional criticism of the sentences but the Rakach Communists were "actually is masterminded by Is- absent. Jewish and non-Jewish leaders rael" to divert attention from the "sinister doings" of the Israelis. in the New York metropolitan area cated to some observers that the and across the nation denounced appeals reportedly filed by defense the Soviet authorities. counsel on behalf of the Leningrad A 100-hour vigil began near the defendants have little chance of Soviet Mission in New York. The success.) vigil is being coordinated by the (Continued from Page 1) dow of Intourist, the Soviet na- the least our government can do tional tourist agency, was broken is to protest in the most direct when a stone was flung at it by an unknown person. Shortly after terms." The White House and the State the incident, the Jewish Defense Committee issued a statement Department spokesman Robert J. McCloskey said: "In light of the claiming responsibility for the in- cident and vowed that it would severity of the sentences handed down at the trial, this matter has continue its anti-Soviet campaign. While Pope Paul VI offered his received serious consideration in Washington. We have taken steps traditional Christmas speech and blessing to the crowds in St. Peter's which we hope will be helpful." Sharply worded denunciations Square, some 40 Italian Jews and disavowals came from demonstrated silently against So- three unexpected sources — the viet anti-Semitism. They displayed British, French and Italian Com- signs in Italian stating, "freedom munist parties. In Paris, the for Jews," and distributed leaflets Communist Party declared in its denouncing the death sentences. newspaper, •'Humanite, that Spokesmen for the group said the "the extreme severity of the ver- demonstration was not aimed at dict appeared to be out of pro- the Pope but to reach people from portion with the facts." The various countries attending the newspaper said it was to be re- Christmas services. Congressman William Broom- gretted that the motives for such field of Oakland County made a an important verdict at Lenin- statement on Soviet Jewry on grad had not been made public the floor of the House Tuesday. and the trial had been held "The treatment of Soviet Jews practically in private. "Further- more," it stated, "if they merit- and the abduction of a Lithuanian ed such a punishment, It is essen- sailor from a U. S. vessel require tial to explain clearly why." . a major reassessment of the con- The British Communist Party fidence that the United States can expressed dissatisfaction with the place in negotiations with the So- verdict and appealed to Moscow viet Union," he said. Broomfield, a member of the to commute the sentences, predict- ing that "many friends of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Soviet Union would be gravely said the severity of the Leningrad concerned" if they were carried edntences as meant to "intimi- date Soviet Jews and test world out. opinion. It was a thinly veiled In a Sunday editorial. the Italian warning to the estimated 100,000 Communist Party newspaper, Soviet Jews now seeking to emi- L'Unita, called the death sentences grate to Israel," he said. "unbelievable" and noted they "Lest the world dismiss these were for a crime "which had not been carried out—and this is juri- actions as limited to the persecu- tion of the Jewish people, let us dically grave." It expressed a hope that the sentences would "not be not forget the recent tragic abduc- tion of a Lithuanian sailor from a carried out" U. S. Coast Guard vessel. Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president "These incidents are a warning of the World Jewish Congress, sent telegrams of protest to Soviet more graphic than all the Soviet Union President Nikolai Podgorny, propaganda pronouncements that Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko, the dignity and freedom of indivi- and a number of Soviet ambassa- duals and individual nations must dors in Western capitals, asking always be subordinate to the wel- them to intervene for the "com- fare of the Soviet state." Broomfield said these events mutation of the death sentences and for the release of all prison- coupled with the continuing Soviet ers." Dr. Goldmann tried unsuc- buildun in Egypt should lead to cessfully to telephone Soviet lead- a major reassessment of U. S. ers from London to plead for confidence in Soviet intentions. • • • • clemency for the Leningrad Jews. A spokesman for Dr. Goldmann TEL AVIV (JTA)—"I wish to told newsmen that the Jewish send from this courtroom Hanuka leader was told that the Soviet greetings to all my brethren in Is- officials were all away from Mos- rael." Those words were spoken cow for the weekend. by Anatoly Altman, one of the 11 As 1,000 persons in Brussels defendants in the Leningrad trial, demonstrated in protest against the when he *as asked by the court Leningrad verdict, the Belgian if he had anything to say before government formally asked the sentence was pronounced last Soviet government to commute the Thursday, according to the news- two death sentences. The Belgian paper Yediot Ahronot. Altman was foreign ministry said the govern- sentenced to 12 years' imprison- ment intervened with the Soviet ment for his part in an alleged authorities as "the interpreter of hijacking attempt for which two public opinion in Belgium." co-defendants, Mark Dymshitz and In Switzerland, the Geneva-based Edvard Kuznetsov, received the International Commission of Jur- death penalty and the others ists sent a telegram to the Supreme prison terms of 4-15 years. Soviet urging clemency "in view According to the Israeli news- of the tragic events suffered by paper, its account of the dramatic the Jewish people in our time" and final minutes of the Leningrad criticized the Soviet authorities for trial was obtained by telephone not publishing full information on from an unidentified Moscow Jew. the trial. Writer Friedrich Duerren- The report said that when Altman matt and other leading Swiss in- made his statement, all of the tellectuals also voiced their protest other accused and their relatives against the sentences and called who were in the courtroom stood on Soviet authorities to "annul the up and sang, "Am Yisrael Hai" sentences and order a 'retrial at- and recited the prayer, Shema tended by international observers." Yisrael. They were silenced by Protests also mounted in the guards on orders from the bench, Scandinavian countries. Two hun- according to the informant. But dred demonstrators in Stockholm when the prisoners were being re- staged a torchlight parade to the moved from the courtroom, Silva Soviet Embassy, where they pre- Zalmanson Kuznetsov, who was sented a letter demanding the sentenced to 10 years for her part relase of the "Leningrad 11." In in the hijack plot, shouted, "If I Happy Yule Provided for Christians in Israel JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli the occupied territories on relief Copenhagen, a group of Danish forget thee, Jerusalem, let my politicians, writers and clergymen right hand forget its cunning." She authorities made special efforts to received an extra Christmas bonus expressed their shock in cables sent is the wife of Edvard Kuznetsov, assure Christian citizens and visi- and a gift of foodstuffs. to.Soviet Premier Alexsei Kosygin. who was sentenced to death. The Jewish National Fund dis- tors of a merry Christmas this The Jewish Youth Organizations tributed over 1,000 Christmas trees Israel went silent at la o'clock of Scandinavia registered their out- Tuesday morning as a two-min- year. The post office designed a to Christian residents of Jerusalem rage with officials in the Soviet ute blast on sirens in every city, special holiday postmark for let- and Tel Aviv. embassies in Denmark, Sweden town and village brought traffic ters mailed from Bethlehem on Special arrangements were made and Norway. and all other activities to a halt Dec. 24. to televise and film the Midnight The Israeli Police Band per- Mass at the Church of the Nativity. In Marseilles, France, three in a national gesture of protest formed throughout the day in Beth- The closed circuit TV set-up was Jewish students began a hunger against the sentences on Jews lehem's Manger Square, where for the benefit of the thousands of strike. In Paris, the display win- in Leningrad. four choirs from the United States worshipers who were unable to 40—Friday; Jeavaif 1; 1971 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS I sang Christmas carols. Families in enter the packed shrine. Ecumenical Council Against Reli- gious Persecution, Betar, the Jew- ish Defense League and the Ha- vura. The Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry sponsored a protest march Dec. 28 through Times Square. The marchers carried a Moot Hanuka menora. In Washington, over the weekend, some 300 Jews demonstrated in front of the Soviet Embassy. They burned a Soviet flag and carried a scaffold with a Jewish prayer shawl hung through a noose. On Christmas Eve, five members of the JDL and two others were ar- rested after they eluded police barriers at the Soviet Mission in New. York and made their way to the upper terraces of the Park East. Synagogue across the street. The Jewish activists, led by JDL chairman Rabbi Meir Kahane, shouted threats and slogans at the consulate and chanted in Hebrew, Larry Fine, JDL executive direc- tar, said the group had "taken pos- session" of the synagogue, and added but declined to elaborate that "no Russian individuals or in- stallations in this city" were safe from JDL "from now on." The New York police were instructed by officials to prevent any demon- strations at the Soviet and Polish offices and to be on guard to pre- vent "any damage or unlawful trespassing." About 500 Jews carrying placards and shouting slogans demonstrated in front of the Montreal Soviet Con- sulate in protest of the Leningrad trials. For the first time in the history of the Montreal Jewish community, Sabbath restrictions were waived so that all the Jews who wished to attend the rally could do so. In Sao Paulo, the Brazilian Jew- ish Confederation, representing all Brazilian Jewish communities, cabled UN Secretary General U Thant asking him to make the So- viet government aware that "the recent trial in Leningrad repre- sents a flagrant violation of the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Man," and insisted that the ver- dict be annulled "in obedience to the fundamental principles of right and justice." The cable was signed by Moyses Kaufman, confedera- tion president. A leader of American Jewish protests against the treatment of Russian Jews told the Jewish Tele- graphic Agency that he thought the pressure of public opinion played a major role in the State Depart- ment's affirmative decision on the claim for American citizenship filed by a 30-year-old Moscow Jew, Leonid Rigerman. The State De- partment announced that Alger- man and his mother, Mrs. Esther Michael-Rigerman, are 1 e g a 11 y U. S. citizens, a status strongly disputed by Soviet authorities. One IL S. official said after the Rigerman decision was announced: "We will assist them in a reason- able and appropriate manner if that is their desire." But he de- clined to speculate what the U. S. position would be if the Riger- mans were to seek asylum in the U. S. Embassy in Moscow. New York Mayor John V. Lind- say and Cleveland Mayor Carl B. Stokes, sent separate cables to Alexander A. Sizov, chairman of the Leningrad City Soviet, el-press- ing concern about the trial and calling upon the Soviet authorities to put an end to it and to allow the accused to reunite with their families in IsraeL New York City's five district at- torneys, voicing "grave concern," asked Leningrad's chief prosecu- tor for permission to attend the expected forthcoming trials of 25 additional Soviet Jews arrested since June. In return, they offered to allow the Soviet prosecutor "the right to attend and report to your people and to the world upon any trial or proceeding within the jurisdiction of our offices." .