Friday, November 5, 1976 b MOVING? • • • • • : HOUSEHOLD SALES : IN YOUR HOME : ESTATES LIQUIDATED IRENE EAGLE ; 626-4769 626-8907: THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Russian Group 'We Are Here' Performers Acclaimed on 20th Anniversary BY MOSHE RON The Jewish News Special Israel Correspondent TEL AVIV — When the artists group of more than 100 youngsters of XXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX X XXX XX X X X XX X To introduce you to our CONTEMPORARY COLLECTION We are having a ONE WEEK ONLY . 20% OFF SALE on Pierre Cardin Yves Saint Laurent Geoffrey Beene _ Guy Laroche X X. X 31455 Southfield Road between 13 tt 14 Mile 645-5560 Open 9-6 daily (to 5.30 Sat.) 9-9 Thurs. & Fri. ample parking • credit careaccepted x >S:XXXXXXXXXXXXXXWXXXXXXYXXx:‹ ) Russian immigrants, "We Are Here" appears in the Tel Aviv's Mann Au- ditorium, the big hall is packed with Russian im- migrants. Many of them have started their struggle for immigration to Israel years before the Six-Day War in 1967. "We Are Here" repre- sents 10,000 immigrants from Russia who have struck deep roots in Is- rael and are employed in vital jobs from Carmel in Galilee to Beersheba in the south. The group gathers from all parts of the country to prepare their public performanc- es. We took part in one of the newest performances of the group in Yiddish and Hebrew and could watch the enthusiasm of the au- dience in responding to the Yiddish folk dances, beautiful songs, witty humorous sketches and Hasidic dances. The group was first -or- ga.nized in Vilna 20 years ago, when the Russian Communist authorities did their utmost to sup- press Jewish culture, Yiddish songs and Yid- dish theater. The found- ers of the group were de- termined not to let the Yiddish language and culture perish. They es- tablished a group of more than 100 young artists and amateurs, who were members of dramatic cir- cles. Their example was adopted afterwards in Kovno, Riga and Kishinev. The director of the group was Berl Tschossreks, a pupil of the famous artist Michails who was mur- dered by the NKWD dur- ing the Stalin regime. The first performance of the group took place under clandestine condi- tions. There were no placards or announcements, as there was no Yiddish printing- press in Vilna. The announcements were hand-written. The first performance was one of the greatest and moving national events. A huge crowd filled the hall and reacted with enthusiasm, pride and joy. The Russian au- thorities tried at first to interfere with the activi- ties of the group, but it was impossible to stop. They did not allocate any hall for performances until a mixed program in Russian and Yiddish was adopted. When the group toured other cities, it was ac- cepted by thousands of Jews, among them many youngsters, who did not let them leave the stage. After five years of struggle with the au- thorities, the group was allowed to perform in Leningrad and Kiev. Moscow was declared out of bounds; the group was not even allowed to take part in the ceremonies commemorating the 25th anniversary of the upris- ing in the Warsaw Ghetto. The famous Yiddish singer Nehama Lifschik appeared several times with the group. MOSHE RON After each concert, the group added Hebrew songs like "Hava Nagila". Thousands of Jews sang the Hebrew songs with enthusiasm. After the Six-Day War, members of the group started their struggle for immigration to Israel. They became active fight- ers for aliya and were not deterred by persecutions of the Russian authorities. Five years ago nearly all members of the group were in Israel with their families. After the initial stage of absorption and finding 'housing and work they completed Hebrew courses. Then they de- cided to renew their artis- tic activity. It was not easy to or- ganize a group spread all over the country. They have personal economic worries. They had diffi- culty in raising funds for their performances. Members We Are Here", Moshe Pionea, Mordechai "We Won't Try To Sell You A far We'll Help You Buy One!" Shapir, Shaul Beilinson, E la Ronen, Haim Surassky, and Moshe More, together with con- ductor Lasslo Roth, mus- ical director Aliza Goldberg and the dance choreographers Morde- chai Sagewitch and Gab- riel Levy, organized the artistic work and the group was invited for per- formances in the U.S. and Canada, where hundred. of thousands attended their performances. They also visited Europe and performed during the Conference for Russian Jews in Brussels. "We Are Here" consid- ered today as one of the most successful artistic representatives of Israel and the millions of Soviet Jews who wish to immi- grate to Israel. On their 20th anniversary, a pub- lic committee was estab- lished to organize festive performances and cere- monies in Israel and abroad. Venezuela Praised on Jewish Issue NEW YORK (JTA) — Commenting on his visit to Caracas, Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the World Jewish Con- gress, praised the friendly relations exist- ing between the Jewish community of Venezuela and the government of that country. He said that the gov- ernment of Venezuela which, he said, maintains excellent relations with both Israel and the Arab countries, could play an important and construc- tive role in bringing about a peace settlement in the Middle East. During his stay in Caracas, Goldmann ad- dressed a banquet in his honor by the Confedera- tion of Jewish Associa- tions and a public meet- ing organized by the Zionist Federation. TEST DRIVE THE 1977 OLDSMOBILE TODAY SALES OPEN MON. and THURS TILL 9 P.M. Adrian Kantrowitz at Technion Lunch SERVICE OPEN NEW YORK — Dr. Ad- rian Kantrowitz, chair- man of the Department of Cardiovascular Survery and Thoracic Surgery at Detroit's Sinai Hospital was the speaker at the' 1976 Harvest Luncheon of the American Technion Society's Women's Divi- sion on Wednesday at New York's Hotel Pierre. The luncheon was held to support medical en- gineering research being conducted at the Julius Silver Institute of Bio- Medical Engineering at the Technion-Israel In- stitute of Technology in Haifa, Israel. MONDAY Et THURSDAY 7:30 TO 9 PM TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY 7:30 TO 6 PM WHERE PEOPLE STILL COME FIRST GLASSMAN OLDSMOBILE INC. --- tw• 28000 TELEGRAPH RD. • SOUTHFIELD • PHONE 354-3300 OFFICE HOURS MON - TH U RS 9 to 5,. `trip FRI., 9 to 4 3 JEWISH NATIONAL FUND Cle Sundays 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Z 22100 GREENFIELD v OAK PARK 48237. Phone 968-0820 r Kt al 11 Ile TM