0
Brazaville-Congo
Diplomatic Breaks
Mystify Israel
Endless Terror,
UN's Disgrace
Day School
Factors in
Education
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Government sources expressed surprise over the break in diplomatic relations with Israel by Brazaville-
Congo and said they could think of no apparent reason for the sudden move announced Dec. 31 in Brazaville. Brazaville-Congo is
the third African state to sever relations with Israel in recent months. The others are Chad and Uganda.
Israeli officials, asked to comment on the apparent wave of anti-Israel feeling in Black African nations, said they were
"of course, not pleased by this development but it doesn't worry us." They attributed the breaks to a "growing radicalization" in
some African quarters and to "stepped up" propaganda efforts by Libya and Saudi Arabia.
Uganda broke ties with Israel last September after President Idi Amin's visit
to Libya. Chad severed relations last month
following a visit by King Saud of Saudi Arabia to that country.
Israel announced last
week that it was replacing its ambassador in Brazaville-Congo with a non-resident charges d'affaires
and was also closing its embassy in Niger. The downgrading was attributed by foreigh ministry sources here to budget cuts and
"a general reappraisal of our relations in Africa and around the world."
JEWISH NEWS
A Weekly Review 1:41
Editorials
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13
of Jewish Events
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Vol. LXII. No. 17
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On the Question
of Pressures
and an
Incident in
Truman's Career
Commentary
Page 2
January
5, 1973
HalutzGroup Protests .Slander';
Maoists Back Israel Spy Ring
•
Soviet Waiver on Head Tax
for Elderly Still 'Unacceptable'
NEW YORK (JTA)—A Jewish leader said a Soviet official's state-
ment that the education head tax was being waived for older emigrants
and scaled down substantially for others on the basis of the number of
years they have worked, was "welcome" as far as it went.
But Richard Maass, chairman of the National Conference on Soviet
Jewry, said the diploma head tax remained an "unacceptable" economic
barrier for educated Jews wishing to leave the USSR and that his orga-
nization would continue its efforts to have it abolished.
Maass was commenting on the statement of Soviet Deputy Interior
Minister Boris Shumilin, released last Friday by Novosti, the Soviet
external news agency.
Shumilin claimed that the education tax affected only about 10 per
cent of all persons applying for exit permits and that the state gave
"due regard" for age, health, length of work and other individual factors
in applying it.
He said reports to the contrary were "Bourgeois propaganda hostile
to the Soviet Union, especially Zionist propaganda."
Maass noted that Shumilin's statement "seems to imply some relaxa-
tion of the rigid and unconscionable exit tax that was arbitrarily imposed
on educated Soviet citizens in August" (1972). But the Soviet official
contended in his statement that the work yardstick and humanitarian
considerations have applied all along.
He also claimed that exit visas were granted In 1972 to 95.5 per cent
of all Jewish applicants, a statement disputed by Jewish activist' in
Moscow over the weekend.
Shumilin emphasized repeatedly in his statement to Novosti that the
education head tax applied to all Soviet citizens seeking emigration,
regardless of nationality, whose country of destination was not another
Socialist state with which the USSR had special relations.
He said that "in the recent period" 530 visa applicants were exempted
(Continued on Page 8)
NEW YORK (JTA)
NEW YORK (JTA)—The Central Shlikhim of the Halutz Movement protested
against what it termed "vicious attacks and slanderous statements" made in Israel
against the kibutz movement following the disclosure of a Syrian-directed Arab-Jewish
spy ring. The protest was contained in a cable sent to Israel Pinhasi, secretary general
of the National Federation of Kibutzim, which said that the main targets of the alleged
slander were the Kibutz Artzi movement of Ilashomer Hatzair and Kibutz Can Shmuel,
the former home of one of the Jewish spy suspects.
The message said: "The current atmosphere in Israel is rapidly approaching that
of witch-hunting. with its dangerous implications for civil liberties and personal honor.
This is causing both serious political damage to Israel and irreparable educational harm
to the halutz movement in the United States. We pledge our full support to those in
Israel who fight and struggle against this campaign of hate and slander."
The message also noted that the halutz movement here was as shocked as the
Israeli community by the disclosure of Jewish participation in the spy ring. The message
was signed by leaders of the Dror, Habonim, Bnei Akiva, Ilashomer Ilatzair and Young
Judea movements..
The Progressive Labor Party, the official Maoist organization, has come to the
defense of Dan Vered "and his comrades" who were arrested In Israel several weeks ago
as members of the Syrian-directed spy and sabotage ring. According to the latest issue
(Jan. 11) of "Challenge," the mouthpiece of the PLP, Vered and the group arrested with
him were part of "a handful of Jewish and Arab working people (who) formed the Revo-
lutionary Communist Alliance . . . to win both Jewish and Arab workers to unite and
fight for socialism" in Israel.
The Alliance, Challenge explains, was formed last year, an event, "which,
though small in itself, could have catastrophic potential consequences for Zionists and
their U.S. masters." How? Challenge asserts that the Alliance, unlike other pseudo-
revolutionary groups in Israel tolerated by the government and even encouraged to
participate in the government to provide a facade of democracy, was prepared to expose
Israel as a puppet of American imperialism and as a friend of some of the most reaction-
ary regimes in Asia.
In addition, the PLP continues, the emergence of the Alliance came at a time
(Continued es Page 8)
Syssagt);_ove Leveled. Homes StllIglit Elsewhere
—
Leonardo Hellen- delegation had gone to Nicaragua to assist services were in the Ashkenazi style.
The businesses, some of which continue in the
berg, secretary of the Jewish community quake victims. Nudelstejer said his infor- community never had a rabbi.
Hebrew edu- hands of their descendants and are in the
in Managua, Nicaragua, estimated Jewish mation was that most of the Nicaraguan cation for the
children was conducted by a forefront of Managuan retail commerce.
losses from the earthquake that devastated Jews
would have to go to other countries knowledgeable local person or occasionally
The majority had assimilated to a great
that city at $2- 'to $3,000,000.
since their means of livelihood had teen by an itinerant teacher.
extent before the arrival of the first Euro-
Hellenberg, who is visiting relatives here, wiped out.
Most
of
Managua's
Jews
are
of Polish peens in the late 1920s. Sons of several
said Managua's 30 Jewish families escaped
0
0
and Romanian origin, welcomed to Nice - mixed marriages rose to high positions in
serious injury but lost all their property
ragua early in the Nazi period by the late the government. Their pride in their Jewish
Nicaragua
Catastrophe
which included textile mills. Some were
Luis Somoza, father of General Anastasia origin was reflected during Israel's victory
uninsured, he said. He estimated that it Background Described
Somoza, commander of Nicaragua's army in the Six - Day War.
would take at least eight months to rebuild
By JOSEPH POLAKOFF
and a former president who is directing
The Eastern European emigrants arrived
Jewish community structures including the
JTA Washington Bureau Chief
the rescue effort in Managua. The Somoza virtually penniless in Nicaragua_ Some of
synagogue, which was leveled.
Virtually all of Nicaragua's tiny Jewish family always maintained warm relations them pioneered in the textile industry and
Hellenberg, 27, who attended Yeshiva community of about 120 persons lived in with the Jewish community, and
Torah Vodaath in Brooklyn, Yeshiva Uni- Managua and maintained a community United Nations representatives Nicaragua's others participated in modern construction
nearly at and hotel development in Managua. Most
versity High School and Hebrew University center with a synagogue constructed about ways supported Israel.
Nicaraguan Jews remained small - time trail-
in Jerusalem, told the Jewish Telegraphic 15 years ago. The small, unpretentidus one-
Since It became a state 25 years ago, ers. Presumably both the wealthy and not-
Agency that he narrowly escaped death story building of masonry construction was Israel has been represented in Managua by so - well - off lost their possessions.
when the earthquake destroyed his home in reportedly destroyed by the earthquake an honorary consul selected from the Jewish
Altogether, the community from its very
Managua shortly after midnight Dec. 23, which leveled the Nicaraguan capital.
community. Israel's ambassador in a nearby
beginnings held the respect and even esteem
that he worked from 6 a.m. until noon help-
The center, distinguished by stars of country was accredited to the Nicaraguan of many Nicaraguans and was considered
ing the Nicaraguan Red Cross and then David in its windows, was situated less government. At first it was the envoy in a valued if tiny segment of that nation. The
boarded a plane for the U.S. He said he than half a kilometer from the cathedral Mexico, later in Guatemala and now the Nicaraguan Jewish community is a mem-
planned the trip before the quake and had and occupied a corner on the main thorough- ambassador to Costa Rica.
her of the Central American Jewish Fed-
airline resemations.
fare leading to the airport. Community
The first Jewish settlers in Nicaragua oration which consists of Costa Rica with
According to Hellenberg, Managua's members gathered there almost nightly for came from France 100 years ago. They about 1.800 Jews, Guatamala with about
Jews have taken temporary refuge in San social purposes and conducted prayer serv- were boys in their upper teens who founded 1.500. El Salvador with about 31r)0. liondura,
Jose, Costa Rica and Miami. ices regularly Friday evenings and on holi- commercial establishments with
ties to with only 100 divided between two citie , .
Sergio Nudelstejer, director of the days.
Paris and other French cities from which and Panama. with about 3.200 Jews. the
American Jewish Committee's Mexican of -
For the services, the men would sit at a they had emigrated. Some of them returned tartest in the Central American - Panama
Lice, said that a Jewish Central American long table covered with a white cloth. Their to France, but most remained with their area
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