JWV Head, Back From USSR, Says
Soviet Jews See Nixon as 'Messiah'
' - _
NEW, YORK (J'Elv)—Soviet Jews
Soviet authorities have taken
The growing interest in Hebrew
see ftesident,Niviri;:wbo will visit retaliatory action against Jews in studies in the_ USSR is one indica-
theii2Z-.0iiintry in Vint,- ;,:.."as..- their prison c amps who ,went on tar.
salalit tibn and theii"Pireisiah." the
hunger strikes beginning Dec.
According lo Jewish sources, two
national commander of the Jewish 24 to protest the Leningrad trials intensive Hebrew language courses
War Veterans reported. held last year, It was reported have recently been established in
''If only he would speak out (on by the National Conference on Leningrad by a teacher identified
their plight), if only he would say Soviet Jewry.
only as David. The teached adver-
something," it would have a "great Camp authorities in Potma have tised openly for students, and five
effect" on the Supreme Soviet," forbidden Jewish prisoners to visit registered the very day his first
said Jerome D. Cohen, who re- with each other and to study He- handbills were displayed.
turned Sunday night from a 10-day brew. Prisoners Shlomo Drezner,
Within a few days, 50 students
fact-finding tour of the Soviet Israel Zalmanson and Viktor Bogu- were
enrolled, the sources re-
slaysky were denied the right of
Union.
A spokesman for Cohen said the visits by relatives for the next six ported.
visit was a "breakthrough" in months. All this, it was learned,
They also reported that protests
that the Soviet authorities were is part of a "get-tough" policy from the 300 Jewish families in
heretofore "reluctant" to grant a toward the prisoners.
Hust, a town near Kiev, forced
A warden of Camp 19 in Potma, local authorities to abandon their
visa to a JWV leader.
Cohen told newsmen that he publicly stated that it is necessary plans to close the town's only
based his report essentially on to fight against "Zionist groups." synagogue. But the beautiful Us-
secret conversations in Moscow His announcement heightened anti- hognov synagogue near Kiev was
with 14 Jews representing Jew- Semitic feelings among non-Jewish closed and converted to headquar-
ish communities across the Prisoners and caused a worsening ters of the local orchestra.
USSR. He said they gave him in the situation of the Jewish
a list of 4,000 Jews who had ap- prisoners.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
As a result, nine prisoners of
plied for emigration and had sub-
Camp 19—Viktor Boguslaysky, Lev 8—Friday, January 7, 1972
sequently become unemployed.
Anatoly Goldfeld, Ana-
Cohen said he would report on Yagman,
toly Altman, Boris Penson. Mik-
his tour to President Nixon at the hail
Yuri Vudka,
White House, probably later this Harry Kirshner and Aleksandr
Gal-
month.
perin-.-decided
to
continue
their
Ruth Alexandrovich Averbuch, hunger strike that was to have
speaking at Yeshiva University's
Dec. 27.
Yeshiva College, said "The ques- ended
Anti-Semitic outbursts also oc-
tion of violence is a painful one in curred in Camp 3, which houses
the United States. However, this prisoners David Chernoglaz, Shlo-
is a problem that must be solved mo Drezner, Semyon Levit and
by the Americans. As for Rus- Mogilever.
sian Jewry, any kind of support,
In Camp 10, it was learned, cor-
even though it might be violent, is respondence with prisoners has
helpful for the cause."
been confiscated by the authorities
She said the fact that Russians for the last two months.
find it necessary to "exaggerate"
The National Conference has
about such groups as the Jewish
learned that Moisey Goldfeld,
Defense League, and call them
"fascists and anti-Semites" prove father of Anatoly Goldfeld, has
that they are truly worried about been fired from his job without
their activities, and such activities any reason given. Moisey Gold-
hale a positive influence for the feld, who is 62, was fired two
cause of Russian Jewry. years before his retirement age.
In speaking of the awakened Anatoly Goldfeld, a 25-year-old
Jewish consciousness in Russia, Leningrad engineer, was arresttd
she said that "Jewish conscious- June 15, 1970 for alleged "anti-
activities. He was con-
nest is strictly a religious move-
intnt. It is an elementary re- victed in the Kishinev trial of June
ilgious feeling because the people 21, 1971 and sentenced to four
ha1ve been brought up without years in prison.
Dr. Joachim Prinz. chairman of
any contact with Jewish culture.
Yet, they feel tied to Israel by the governing council of the World
an amazing, mysterious thread." Jewish ,Congress, sent a cable to
Mrs. Averbuch conceded that Soviet President Nikolai V. Pod-
certain Russian immiWants were gorny appealing for clemency for
experiencing severe problems in the 40 Jewish prisoners.
Meanwhile, Illya Rippe, a Jewish
Israel, especially the Georgian
m
student who set fire
Jews, who have special needs be- mathematics
cause of the tight-knit nature of to himself on a Riga street on
their community. April 13, 1969, arrived in Israel
"Israel is now enacting programs last weekend with his parents.
In Copenhagen, the Christian
to alleviate there problems," she
Kristlige Dagblad, strong-
said. "Let us not be detracted by
ly assailed the Soviet Union for
the problems of the Russians in.
I
Israel. The problem is getting the I its policy toward Jews.
In a nearby full-page article
there, the Russian Jews will find signed by Miss Visti Christensen
a way to solve the problem them- and titled "On Soviet Lies," the
paper termed "an outright lie"
selves."
Premier Alexei N. Rosy-
Jewish Political Prisoner Suffers Soviet
gin s statement in Olberg, Den-
Heart Attack, Denied Medical Care mark on Dec. 5 that there was no
NEW YORK (JTA) — A Jewish Jewish problem in the USSR.
political prisoner in the Potma
In Paris, Chief Rabbi Jacob Kap-
prison in Soviet Mordovia, Yaacov lan personally thanked President
Suslensky, suffered a heart attack Georges Pompidou for his inter-
Dec. 5 but was denied medical vention on behalf of Soviet Jewry
c a r e, the Student Struggle for when Soviet Communist Party Sec-
Soviet Jewry reported.
retary Leonid Brezhnev visited
The group said the camp doctor, France in October.
a woman surnamed Yegorova,
Rabbi Kaplan visited Pompidou
told Suslensky that he was being on New Year's Day, the occasion
punished for speaking Hebrew and when diplomats, clergymen and
teaching it to other inmates. The politicians traditionally pay their
prisoner was summarily sent back respects to the President.
to work.
Report Attempts Being Made to
The SSSJ also said that another Revive Interest in Birobidjan
Jewish political prisoner, Vladimir
LONDON (JTA) — Jewish
Osherovich Mogilever, was warned sources in the Soviet Union re-
to discontinue teaching Hebrew to ported that attempts still are being
other inmates.
made to revive interest in Biro-
The student group added that bidjan, a province in eastern
according to information received Siberia which was declared an
Jews to Israel. Once they are
late last week, prisoner Silva Zal- autonomous Jewish republic during
mansuq, Kuznetsov was suffering the 1920s.
from severe hearing problems,
But Jews aren't interested, it
stomach pains and vomiting.
appears.
Please
Write a Letter
In hii iiist'sfatement as the nir.w.SecretaryLGeneral of the United
Nations, Dr. Kurt - Waldheim said that .he'-:planned to provide
active leadership. He also announced his 'support for the U.N.
resolution that requires Israel to withdravi -from occuPied- territory.
Since Israel's former borders could not easily be defended, the
suggestion that Israel return to this precarious position might
make one wonder about the logic of Dr. Waidheim's leadership.
May I respectfully suggest that a polite letter be sent to Dr.
Waldheim asking for some clarification or explanation. How can
he ask a small nation to return to unsafe borders. Does he plan
to publicly request the Russians to refrain from sending more
war materials to the enemies of this small nation.
Dr. Kurt Waldheim, Secretary-General
The United Nations
United Nations Building
New York, N.Y.
May I also respectfully suggest that on your way back from the
mail box, you stop at the Israel Bond office. A practical way
to give assistance to our courageous people in their hour of
danger.
BERNARD EDELMAN