64 loe 16, 1978 ME DETROIT JEWISH JEWS Noshrim: Wandering in the Wilderness of Italy By EDWIN EYTAN (Copyright 1978, JTA, Inc.) Jewish-owned businesses in Rome closed early on Fri- day, April 21, Passover eve, as the city's Jews prepared for the traditional Seder. For the Russian Jews in Os- tia, 26 kilometers south- west of Rome, Seder night was, however, a night like every other night. It was if anything, a little more dis- e mal, a little lonelier and a little colder on the windswept steps of the Ostia post office where they gather every night. The Jews of Ostia are the "noshrim," the Russian Jews who, once out of the Soviet Union, have decided not to go to Israel. Over 3,000 are waiting in Italy for "the miracle," a visa for America, Canada or Au- stralia. Every month about 1,000 more arrive from Vie- nna and join them in this expectation. Over 2,500 of them live in Ostia, once a popular vaca- tion spot for Rome's middle class. Every evening the "Bassi" gather on the steps of the local post of- fice, a large, round build- how in buying or selling, ing. It is their stock ex- sightseeing trips in old change, the "bursa" as broken-down cars with they call it, for gossip, in- German tax-free plates (no formation and petty one knows how they ob- trude. It is here that the tained either the cars or the newcomers start looking number plates) and just for a room, for addresses plain old-fashioned Jewish of where to go and what "eitzes" (advice) on how to to do. survive in this strange new It is here that they discuss world. the latest "inside" informs- There is one thing the tion about visas and whether Chicago is a better noshrim know and insist on — they don't want to go to place than New York and Montreal cheaper than Ot- Israel. They are adamant tawa. Some, who badly need and obstinate about it. Most a few extra liras above the of them, if not all, have made up their minds on this Joint Distribution Commit- subject even before they left tee (JDC) grant, offer their the Soviet Union. During wares for sale: a few cups and a "tchainik," an em- the four days I spent in Rome I talked to more than broidered napkin and even a pair of shoes. The real 50 noshrim, some who have just arrived, others who had worthwhile goods are sold on Sunday morning at been waiting for months. Rome's flea market "Porta None could or would Portese" where the Russian explain his decision. A Jews have by now a corner former prominent of their own. Jewish journalist, who It is also at the post office had been a Zionist ac- that the veterans — those tivist for years, tried to who have lived in Ostia for explain that he does not eight or nine months, three like "the Begin regime." years in the case of some of his too liberal, it does not the Israeli yordim — offer know how to deal with their services: their know- the Arabs or with ter- rorists. The country is not disciplined or organized enough." He is 56 years old and knows that he will not find work in his profession in the United States and that he is too old to start a new career. He also knows that life in New York, where he has a cousin, will be hard and cold. He has been waiting in Ostia for nine months and his visa might still take a long time to come through. He says this is because of his journalistic activities with a Communist paper. By ARNOLD FRYER searched the memory of my experience as a black person who is not Jewish but who lived illegally for three years and six months among the Israelis as I sought to escape from ra- cism elsewhere. Of course times have changed considerably since 1967, when I ar- rived penniless in Israel, but it is hard to accept that an entire people would have changed so much. I stress entire people because in Israel, much more than in other countries, the views and wishes of the majority are directly reflected in the actions of the govern- ment, perhaps because of the close knit nature of the society. Fully 60 percent of the Is- raeli population comes from foreign countries (the other 40 percent being born in Is- rael or the immediate vicin- ity), nearly all having come to escape one form of op- pression or another. And since it is an important con- sideration these days, it must be noted that roughly 80 percent are non - white. During the months that followed, I found the Is- raelis to be an exception. ally sensitive people who try to present a brash and tough exterior. Of course they are incredibly effi- cient and courageous in war, but off the battlefield they are a warm-hearted and emo- tional people. The Israelis I observed between 1967 and 1970 were very embarrassed at any complaint or discussion of racism aimed at their country because they abhorred racism and didn't want to consider the possi- bility that such a monster could exist in their society. I found them to be very idealistic about and well disposed towards the black people, and, in fact, unable to differentiate between an Ethiopian black and an American or West Indian black, or between a Marxist black and a democratic black. The Israelis have a long relationship with the Ethiopians and for years • have had their own popula- tion of Yemenite Jews which is well integrated and well regarded in their soci- ety. (A Yemenite Jew re- cently retired from his post as speaker of the Israeli Parliament.) Consequently they canna understand any other black person behav- ing differently from the two groups with which they are familiar. Also, because of the na- ture of the society and the raison d'etre of the nation, Israelis then recognized someone coming there for a prolonged stay only as being desirous of becoming a part of the society and of abiding avoids them, the HIAS people even refuse to talk to them. I'll go to Israel with an American passport, like the American Jews do, and then decide whether to stay there or not." In a group which had ar- rived in Rome the day be- fore, I ask: "Don't you realize that you were let out because you are Jews and because Jews the world over asked the Soviet govern- ment to let you go? Even now you are helped by Jewish organizations. Don't you feel you owe something to Israel and the Jewish people?" A man in his forties, a former store manager from Odessa, replies, "We know we owe a lot. We are grateful and say thank you." A woman, who feels that this reply is not sufficient, adds: "Once we settle in America and start work- ing, we also shall send money to help other Jews. You won't find us ungrateful." The people with whom I spoke never once mentioned the higher standard of liv- ing in America. According to the social workers who deal with them on a daily basis, this, and the fear of war in Israel, seem to be the main factors in their deci- sion. Most also believe that if they go to Israel they will find it difficult to get out again. Several people told me: "We know that to leave Is- rael we shall first have to return all the money spent on us. This is probably just as difficult as obtaining an exit permit in Russia." Those who refuse to go to Israel — last year about 50 percent of the Russian emigrants — usually make the decision before they leave Russia. A young man, a chemist, has his mother All this does not deter " in Haifa. He is tempted by him. However: "No, no, it is Israel but would first like pointless to talk to me about to go to see "whether I Israel. I shall see later, once like it and whether I can I am in America. Not now." find suitable work." He A chief electronic en- knows the word "Yored" gineer from Moscow who I and explains: "I was told met at the HIAS office, exp- that if I go to Israel first, I lains: "After having lived will lose all my other all our lives in a country rights. Neither HIAS nor which constantly made de- Joint (Joint Distribution mands on us we are just not Committee) will help me ready for additional sac- again should I decide to rifices. We just want to take change my mind. What I it easy for a few years , in a would like is to be able to country where no one will go to Israel for a few ask us for anything, where months and then make a decision." This is obviously against Jewish Agency policy as if people were enabled to go by its rules, rather than as seeking to be separate but and "look around first," all would want to avail them- equal, which to them was the concept of apartheid. selves of this possibility. A They all expressed a great Jewish Agency official exp- admiration for Martin lains: "We would become a Luther King, and on the day travel agency, shuttling of his death there was such people around and immig- obvious sadness and regret ration would probably drop that I felt very self- at once." This argument does not conscious from the atten- tion and expressions of carry much weight with the noshrim. A women engineer sympathy that I receiyed. from Leningrad, says: "We By September 1967 I see in Ostia the yordim, had begun to speak Heb- those who went to Israel rew, I had made friends, first. Now they are stranded and I felt quite at home and who knows what will among a people who become of them. Everybody were young, enthusiastic and not hung up on someone else's color. We lived a very out-of-doors life-style and I found the sense of adventure, of Careers of four noted per- wl ppen to be in the the- participating in the formers, who had to their at at who had to feed building of a country ex- credit 170 years of stage their kids. citing. I had no desire to popularity, are described in "The Gilfords felt the return to the white "170 Years of Show Busi- impact just as Jack was societies I had known, ness" by Kate Mostel and about to embark on a new because those memories Madeline Gilford. career in television; the contrasted so much with Zero Mostel and his wife, Mostels, in Hollywood, the sense of freedom and Kate, and Jack Gilford and learned that the terms of self-respect I was begin- his wife, Madeline, are the Zero's seven-year con- ning to experience for the heroes of this Random- tract with 20th Century- first time outside of my publishesd volume. Fox were fulfilled by one father's house. Extensively illustrated, film. In New York, the At the urging of my Is- Mostels and Gilfords raeli friends, I decided to the fascination of this watched as good jobs stay on in Israel, keeping book lies in the in- passed them by, as . well clear of any trouble and timacies, the theatrical friends' careers were in- of the police and immigra- experiences, the reac- terrupted — some never tion authorities. From time tions to performers and to be resumed — and as to time (after I had moved to audiences. lives were destroyed. live in town, first in Tel The story relates expert- During those years Kate Aviv then Eilat), I met ences from one-night stands got a job acting in Cam- other blacks from the West to the Broadway and Hol- bridge; Madeline created Indies or Africa who were lywood triumphs. television shows for which either students or like my- For the Mostels and Gil- she would not receive credit self "just visiting." There fords, the blacklist was one and worked with the actors' are hundreds of people of all of the serious periods in union against McCar- races and nationalities their lives. thyism; Jack found work in (among them a large com- "When we remember the the "tent" theaters, whose plement of Japanese), both blacklist, what we talk management was willing to Jews and non-Jews — I about is a little different; hire blacklisted actors; and have lived among each political, sure, but re- Zero worked in small theat- group — who have enjoyed member, we were family ers — performing Moliere this unexpected hospitality. people --niamas and papas — and painted. A Black 'Visitor' Looks at Israel's Racism' (Editor's Note: The fol- lowing article was writ- ten by the international news editor for Encore American & Worldwide News, the prestigious Black biweekly. Recently a group of American tourists from a Chicago sect calling them- selves the "Black Hebrews" were expelled from Israel after only a few days in that country. Israeli authorities claimed to have evidence that this group of 25 men, women, children intended to settle illegally in the country by joining a com- munity of more than 400 other black American settlers from the same sect living illegally in the town of Dimona. Reacting to the expulsion, spokesmen from black American groups claiming Jewish ancestry or identity levelled charges of racism against the state of Israel which they said practices "rigid discrimination against Jews who are not of European background." Like many other persons familiar with both the black and Israeli communities, I have sought to undystand how things have come to this sorry pass between two people who have every reason to respect each other, most particularly their his- torically shared burden of -human injustice. I have for once we can think about ourselves. We are simply dead tired, worn out. "Israel? Maybe, but in a few years when I shall feel a different man." A woman, also from Mos- cow, well dressed and with a diploma from one of the Soviet Union's best medical schools said: "We heard (in the USSR) that once we go to Israel it is very difficult to leave should we change our minds. It is always possible to go from America to Israel — the other way round is impossible." Mostels, Gilfords List Roses on the Stage in New Book