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April 02, 1971 - Image 56

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 1971-04-02

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

Soviet Jews Reaching Israel Report New Harassments

inside did not speak for Soviet treat me now," he said. He offered
Synagogue and declared that they leaders from all over Russia in his
thanks to "the people of Britain
(Continued from Page 1)
Jewry.
synagogue
last
week
at
which
were apologists for the regime and
and the rest of the world for rais-
Soviet
Jews
Contend
airport for a flight to Vienna. not representative of Soviet Jewry. "Zionist interference" and "slan-
ing their voices against the death
No
Anti-Sernitism
Is
Tuesday's arrivals included 23- (It has been learned that Zand der" of the Soviet regime from There
LONDON (JTA)—A Jewish mem _ sentences imposed in Leningrad.
year-old Israel Rashal, a techni- was jailed on charges of "hooli- abroad was denounced.
ber of the Red Army Ensemble His nephew Lt. Wolf Zalmanson
cian from Minsk, who wrote the ganism," and a University of
was sentenced in Leningrad to 10
An attempt to advance the im-
is performing here, told- a
words to the song "Blue and Michigan professor has protested pression that a majority of Rus- which
press conference that anti-Semi- years in prison, his niece Silva
White" which has become the un- the action. See story page 19.) sian Jews do not want to emigrate
does not exist in the Soviet Zalmanson Kuznetsov to 10 years
official anthem of Russian Jews Zand reported that the 100 peti- was believed to be the purpose be- tism
Union. Sergeant Karl Kaplan, a and his nephew Isak Zalmanson to
seeking to emigrate to Israel.
tioners asked that the accused hind the meeting in Moscow's
eight years.. (Mrs. Kuznetsov's
singer in the troupe, told news-
They also included Karl Pus- Jews be allowed to engage foreign Great Synagogue. Some 60 rabbis, men that he felt "no different from husband, Edvard, received a death
mann, an engineer from Oriel who attorneys and that the trials be cantors and Jewish lay leaders his non-Jewish colleagues of the sentence
s
that was later commuted
was imprisoned from 1958 to 1965 held in open court and accessible from all over Russia asserted the ensemble." His words were care- to life imprisonment.) Zalmanson
"for Zionist ideas." He said he to foreign newsmen. He said five well-being of Soviet Jewry and de- fully noted by several youthful and several officials of the World
had applied for exit papers six of the protestors were received by nounced Zionist interference and members of Herut-Hatzohar who Union of Jewish Students, which
times and finally received his visa a representative of the Supreme the "dirty slander from abroad." attended the press conference, sponsored the press conference,
three weeks ago. According to Soviet, who promised that their Aspects of the meeting indicated They reported that several other said they had tried to present his
Pusmann, many Jews in his town petition would be forwarded to the that it was "staged" for the bene- Jewish members of the troupe ap- c case to a diplomat at the Soviet
would go to Israel but are afraid proper official.
fit of Soviet domestic news media peared at the conference mouth- Embassy, but that the diplomat
to apply for exit permits. Another
Uzi Narkiss, Jewish Agency im-
ing the same denials, but all of the called the police.
arrival was a 50-year-old woman migration department head, said
Related stories on
Soviet Jewish artists, the Herut NY 'Soviet Jewry Day' Held;
from Roshava near Tashkent who he was moved when Soviet Jews,
Pages 19 and 20.
members disclosed, had admitted 'Black Militant Says Blacks,
described herself as a "tourist" arriving in the city, toasted to
that
they were not practicing I USSR Jews Have Same Woes
but refused to give further details. the life of Israel and when many and the external propaganda
NEW YORK (JTA)—Mayor John
Jews."
agency,
Novosti.
Western
newsmen
cried
remembering
the
millions
of
A contingent of 150 Jews ar-
Abraham Zaimanson, the uncle V. Lindsay proclaimed Tuesday
in
the
Soviet
were
not
informed
of
the
meeting
Jews
that
are
still
rived at Lydda Airport on-March I
but were alerted to it by unofficial of three of the Jewish prisoners "Soviet Jewry Day" in New York
25. It was the largest group to Union.
sentenced in Leningrad, appealed City, and the occasion was used
Israel's Sephardic chief rabbi sources. When they arrived at the
arrive from Russia in one day.
"to the British, the Soviet Em- for a rally and press conference
Isser
Nissim
sent
Passover
greet-
synagogue
they
found
the
doors
previous
record
number
of
The
bassy and the British Communist of civil rights leaders on behalf of
ings
to
Rabbi
Yehudah
Leib
Levin
I
closed
but
were
eventually
admit-
immigrants was 110.
Party for a just answer to the Jews in the Soviet Union.
of Moscow's Choral Synagogue ted after some deliberation.
There were reports that urging him to "rise to the great-
unfounded accusations against
The rally took place at the
reported
that
most
Newsmen
the Riga trial of Jews, reported
Isaiah Wall near United Nations
including Levin, read my relatives."
ness
of
the
hour"
and
do
all
he
speakers,
earlier to be scheduled for April
Zalmanson, who left Riga in 1959 headquarters and was timed to
emigrate from prepared texts and that all
15, has been set for Wednesday. can to help Soviet Jews
but three of the delegates appear- and is now a film projectionist in coincide with the opening of the
to
Israel.
The defendants will be Ruth Alek-
Rabbi Levin, the unofficial chief ed to be over 50 years old. Outside Tel Aviv, said he was shocked 24th Soviet Communist Party Con-
sandrovich, Ark a d y Shpilberg,
by the rebuff. "I was wounded gress in Moscow.
Boris Maftsier and Mikhail Shep- rabbi of the Soviet Union, was one the synagogue a group of 40 Jews three times serving in the Red
An appeal to the congress urg-
of
the
principal
speakers
at
a
who
want
to
emigrate
to
Israel
shelovich. Maftsier reportedly has
Army. and this is the way they ing human rights and emigration
meeting
of
rabbis
and
Jewish
lay
protested
to
newsmen
that
those
submitted to official pressures and
rights for Soviet Jews was -pre-
agreed to sign a confession to anti- I
sented at the rally by Eleanor
Soviet activities.
Holmes Norton;-- chairman of New
York City's Human Rights Com-
The Riga Jews who arrived in i
mission.
Israel included Yiddish poet Men-
del Kleinstein, who on touching
The appeal was signed, among
ELLENVILLE, N.Y. (JTA)—The Albert Spada, knowing of Rabbi ing be done or said that might
ground recited a poem of his re-
Eisner's efforts, suggested he con- hold up the Eisners' departure others, by Rep. Herman Badillo.
story
of
a
Jew
from
Gorodmos-
calling his waiting for this day:
tact Rockefeller. Spada wrote to from the Soviet Union. The story film producer Otto Preminger, civil
"And it did come at last. For katchova, a village in the Carpa- the governor on Rabbi Eisner's is being made public now because rights leader Roy Wilkins, N.Y.
2,000 years have I envied the thian part of the Soviet Union, behalf. On July 15, the governor Rabbi Eisner has asked for per- Congresswoman Bella Abzug, and
doves who can fly freely wherever who, through the intervention of wrote to Soviet Premier Alexei N. mission to do so. What of the Jo- Roy Innis, a militant black civil
they wish, and I was closed in the Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller, was Kosygin requesting that Joseph seph Eisner family now? The Eis- rights leader. The rally was or-
cage. Now I am free again." finally permitted to leave with his Eisner be granted permission to ners live in Boro Park. They are ganized by the Center for Russian
Chaim Spivakowski, a Kharkov family to join a brother he had not emigrate to America to rejoin his "very happy" to be here and grow Jewry and the Student Struggle
economist, said the Jews of that seen since 1944, was released to family. "very disturbed and angry" when for Soviet Jewry. - -
city had never believed they would the JTA by Rabbi Herman Eisner.
The groups are seeking signa-
Rockefeller wrote that he knew they hear people "complaining
be able to leave the Soviet Union.
that
"this was an internal Soviet about America." T h e Yiddish- tures on a nationwide petition to
For 15 years Rabbi Eisner, spir-
"It was a dream," he said.
itual leader of Cong. Ezrath Israel, affair," but the governor urged speaking family is studying Eng- be sent to the Communist Party
The Kiev arrivals said a young had sought to bring his brother and that an exit visa be granted on lish in adult „education classes in Congress.
Jew named Leonid Polashinski had his family to the United States. grounds of compassion. Two Boro Park.
Some of thedeniojisk
,„ at
. ors -
filed for emigration and for can- Yet, when he finally succeeded months later, on Sept. 15, the gov-
Joseph Eisner ; who was a super- picketed American • ContitinAi
j st
celation of his citizenship but was and 62-year-old Joseph Eisner, his. ernor received a telephone call visor of a government store in the Party headquarters in Neiii- Y■ iitk .•-
recruited into the army.
wife, Rose, and his six children from George Shapkin, first secre- Soviet Union, is unemployed as is and returned to the Isaiah Wall
They said some 40 Kiev Jews landed in New York on Feb. 2, and tary of the Soviet embassy in his daughter, Rosalie, 20, who was to begin an "Eiodits. Vigil"
were invited to the interior minis- reporters asked, "How come you Washington, telling him that- Jo- a school teacher in Russia. A sec- for Soviet Jews which, they' said,
try and advised that their applica- were allowed to leave Russia?" seph Eisner and his family had ond daughter, Leah, 20, is working Would be maintained until Pass-
tions had been approved. Feivush Joseph Eisner could only answer, been granted permission to join as a bookkeeper. The two younger
over eve, April 9.
sons are students at Yeshiva Torah
Zlotkin of Riga said his 46-year- "I don't know." And, in fact, he his relatives in the U.S.
Innis likened the situatititof-'
old sister; Assia Levin, was ar- didn't.
The governor notified Rabbi Eis- Vodaath. The two older. sons, Ltid:-. Blacks in the United Stites igt?Jeivs
rested a few months ago with
wig,
17,
and
Todres,
19,
will
enter
in the Soviet Union.-11-Te said both
The story began in 1944 when ner of the good news, but requested Yeshiva College in the fall.
other Jews, all charged with
it not be made public so that noth-
countries were-"the` rioSt repres-
the
Nazis
cleared
Kusnica,
a
small
"subversive actions"—s t u d y i n g
sive in the world" aiid . "inheritors
Hebrew and singing Hebrew town in Slovakia, of its Jews, de-
of the. evils of the Pharaohs of
porting
Joseph
Eisner
to
a
slave
songs. His sister was later re-
the past." He accused many Jews
leased, Zlotkin said, but has to re- labor camp in Hungary, and his
of "failing to extend to blacks the
port for daily interrogation at the mother and father, six brothers
right of ethnic identity" but said
police station, where she is pres- and a sister to other concentration
that black nationalists have come
camps.
As
the
war
drew
to
a
close
sured to name other "subversives"
to realize the parallel that exists
and
Soviet
troops
entered
Hungary,
or "be put into a mental asylum."
ber of the congregation, will report between the oppression of, Blacks
Sunday
they
transported
the
slave
labor-
A
half-day
of
fasting
Zlotkin said there were some indi-
on the Brussels conference, which and the oppression of Jews and
cations his sister might be used ers to Russia where Eisner mar- will call emphasis to the oppres- he attended, and Rabbi Groner will the need for both groups to work
ried
and
raised
a
family.
sion
of
Soviet
Jewry,
on
whose
be-
as a witness against her fellow
give the main address. There will together.
His father and mother, three half a special protest program will be recitation of poetry and a can-
Jews.
The appeal to the Communist
be
held
at
Cong.
Shaarey
Zedek.
Induction into the army seems brothers and a sister perished in
dlelighting ceremony to commemo- Party Congress urged the Soviet
The
program,
sponsored
by
the
to be an increasingly popular way the Auschwitz death camp. Three
rate the deaths of the Six Million. leadership to permit the emigra-
of "taking care of" troublemak- brothers survived. In 1947, Rabbi entire synagogue, will begin at
Dr. Samuel Krohn, Shaarey tion of Jews who seek to leave
10:30
a.m.
in
the
social
hall.
Ad-
Eisner
came
to
America.
In
1948,
ers. Sources in Moscow said an-
Zedek president, appointed Hubert the Soviet Union, free imprisoned
mission
is
free
to
the
community.
he
brought
his
brothers,
Samuel
other young man, 26-year-old Ga-
Sidlow as chairman of the entire Jews'and permit full religious and
briel Shapiro, who was arrested and Mayer Eisner, to America. Yellow buttons with the word program. Co-chairmen are Marvin cultural expression for those who
"Jew"
in
Russian
will
be
distri-
Samuel
now
lives
in
the
Boro
with 39 others last week for taking
choose to remain. The appeal
Fleischman and David Wallace.
part in a protest in the office of Park, and Mayer in the East Flat- buted. To emphasize the spirit of
quoted the late civil rights leader,
the Soviet attorney general, has bush sections of Brooklyn. Rabbi the protest, Rabbi Irwin Groner
Also on Sunday, a petition will Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who
been drafted. It is normal practice Eisner knew that his brother Jo- has declared a half day of fasting be circulated in the area with the said at a Soviet Jewry Human
seph
had
survived
the
Holocaust,
Sunday

before
and
during
the
to draft men at age 17.
hopes of obtaining thousands of Rights Day rally in 1966 that "The
The sources said Shapiro was and was living in the Soviet Union. program period.
signatures in support of the Soviet denial of human rights anywhere
The
brothers
corresponded,
but
Highlighting the program will Jewry to be sent to the Commu- is a- threat to the affirmation of
ordered to report for military serv-
ice next Monday. He was barred Joseph was afraid to apply for an be an audio-visual dramatiza- nist Party Congress under way.
human rights everywhere."
from entering the Soviet visa of- exit visa. Finally, in 1956, Joseph tion, "Lest We Forget," written
In London, members of the Uni-
The
petition
calls
for
the
free-
fice to inquire about his applica- wrote to his brother, stating he had and directed by Cantor Jacob dom of worship in Russia or the versity Committee for Soviet Jewry
applied
for
a
permit
to
come
to
Barkin. Incorporated into this right to emigrate to Israel. Similar picketed and handed out leaflets
tion to emigrate.
America with his family.
presentation will be "Letter to petition drives are taking place in in front of the Golders Green
A group of 100 Jews marched
For the next 15 years, Rabbi Soviet Pharaohs," a cantata by other U.S. and European cities.
Theater where the Red Army
to the Presidium of the Supreme
Soviet in Moscow and pre- Eisner battled to bring his brother Gershon Kingsley based on the
Locations for circulation of the Chorus opened its London concert
famous
letter
from
Boris
Kochu-
sented a petition demanding jus- and his brother's family to the
petitions are Katz Delicatessen at series. Police escorted six per-
tice for the Jews scheduled for U.S. Time and again he wrote to byevski.
Nine Mile Rd. and Coolidge and at sons from the theater but a spokes-
Narrators will be Ruben and Dexter-Davison Market at Coolidge man for the universities commit-
trial in Leningrad, Riga and Kishi- Soviet leaders pleading that his
nev, according to a telephoned brother and his family be permit- Elizabeth Weiss, Detroit area thea- and 10 Mile Rd., both in Oak Park. tee said they had no connection
report from the Soviet capital. The ted to emigrate. He approached ter and radio performers. Also fea- Other locales also are to be set up. with the peaceful demonstrators
e
c2"er was Mikhail Zand, a Jewish every federal agency that he could tured will be Cantor Barkin, Ber- Helen Opatowski and Judith outside.
....list and scholar specializing think of including the State De- nard Katz at the piano, the Octet Grant, who are coordinating the
Two members of a Herut youth
in Persian literature, who earlier partment and his congressmen, Chorale and Shaarey Zedek Youth I e ff ort. will speak at an open forum group began a hunger strike out-
interrupted a presentation by 60 without success. Then, in the sum- Group. Visual director is Al Kar- I on the Brussels conference on side the Soviet tourist office to
Soviet Jewish leaders in the Choral mer of 1970, Ulster County Clerk bal. Coordinator is Larry Stern. ; Soviet. Jewry 8!30 p.m. Sunday at protest the treatment of Soviet
Judge Lawrence Gubow, a mem- Young Israel Center of Greenfield. Jews.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
56 — Friday, April 2, 1971

15-Year Effort Gains Release From USSR

Shaarev Zedek Maps Protest
and Half-Fast for Soviet Jews:
Petition Drive to Get Under Wav

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