12 Friday, December 7, 1919

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Avital Shcharansky's Appeal to World for Anatoly's
Release Echoes Acclaim for 'Next Year in Jerusalem'

struggle, forget that you are of demonstrators behind my
Anatoly Shcharansky has permitted a visit this fall, my illness was only getting place. He asked me to send
back: This is our melody.
become a symbol for the told the New York Times, worse, I returned home to him, his wife and son an in- alive.'
"Tears in the eyes of a
"And then I see Tolik. I
vitation
to
Israel
and
is
fighters for justice in the "You wouldn't recognize Jerusalem.
hear the level, strong voice casual passerby, smiles of
"Everyone around was waiting for Tolik's release
Soviet Union. He is in jail, him. He is skin and bones.
of his letters. I see the encouragement on the
suffering from many illnes- His face is drawn, his nose is certain that Tolik would in order to immediately
crowded prison courtyard. streets of foreign cities, the
The shadow-like prisoners, dependable voices of friends
ses, and his wife, the brave sharp and thin and his eyes soon be released. Again submit documents for emig-
Avital, is mobilizing sup- bulge. There is no doubt rumors started about an ex- ration.
"Tolik's friends help us their hands folded behind — this is our melody.
port in the battle now being that he is a terribly sick change. But having learned
"In this world, where evil
their backs, move in a circle,
by bitter experience, I didn't there in Moscow and here
man."
and suddenly from a dis- is on the offensive and good
conducted for his release.
But throughout this give free rein to my imagi- in Israel. Dina Beilin, tance, a melody is heard:
on the defensive, we un-
She is back in the United
who helped Ida Petrovna
States, from Israel where moving book, Avital's nation. I knew one thing for
"March 1974. The movie equivocally believe in the
after Tolik's arrest, kept
she settled, where a home voice is strong and clear, sure: I could not and did not
in constant touch with us, theater Warsaw. He is good.
want to become accustomed
awaits her husband, again
"This book doesn't
assembled all the infor- right, my Tolik. Our life is
to the idea that Tolik and I
appealing for aid for an
mation on interrogations not simply a tragedy with have an end. Again, I am
were
doomed
to
a
terrible
awakened public opinion in
the darkness and despair. The starting on my travels in
to
connected
13-year-long separation.
her husband's behalf.
Shcharansky case and melody of our love also con- order to knock on doors,
"Who knows what will
She tells her and her hus-
forwarded it to us. She tains the hope of much light. to try all possibilities.
happen to him during these
band's story in a deeply
"I remember the evening And I appeal to you, my
insisted on her right to be
13
years?
He
has
already
moving book, "Next Year in
before our parting. The readers. You were with
been in a solitary cell for a witness at the trial..
Jerusalem" (William Mor-
"A short while before the hupa. The strong young me during Tolik's trial.
two years. What can be
r
row and Co.).
voices sing: "You sent telegrams of
more
terrible
than
the
to-
trial,
she received permis-
The book is bylined Av-
protest; you went out to
sion to leave, and to our
Soon may there be heard
ture of solitude?
ital Shcharan sky, with
demonstrations; you prayed
"He is deprived of meet- great joy, she and her family
In the cities of Judah
liana Ben-Joseph, trans-
for
us; you supported us
are now in Israel. Many
And in the streets of with your participation.
ings with his parents.
lated from the Russian by
" They have forbidden thought that the Soviet Jerusalem
Stefan Hoffman.
"You
prevented a terrible
The voice of joy and glad- reprisal against the Jews of
him to address me in let- authorities simply threw
The title of the book is
her out before the trial in ness,
ters
and
my
letters
simply
appropriate. When he was
Russia.
order to deprive Tolik of
The voive of the brideg-
do not reach him.
,sentenced, the last words to AVITAL SHCHARANSKY
"Thanks to you my hus-
"He is starving. They such a persistent and room and the voice of the
the world by Anatoly without self-pity. Her
band remained alive.
torment
him,
torment
him
courageous
witness.
Dina
bride.
memory
of the early days,
Shcharansky, resounding
"Each of you can do a lot.
and Anatoly's letters too, incessantly. And I? How quickly got involved in our
everywhere, were:
Together we are strong.
"That is our melody.
here in Israel.
"I say, addressing my are infused with great shall I hold up during these work
"I beg you, my readers:
"The click of the teletype,
"Lunts helps us as before.
13 years of nightmares,
people and my Avital, Next love, and the fervent
"Help us!"
the roar of tens of thousands
hopes of reunion some fears for him, despair and Anatoly (Natan) Malkin,
Year in Jerusalem."
having served his camp
horrors?
Such is the power given a day in Jerusalem.
Boris Smolar's
significant book written by It is in her epilogue that "And his parents? What term, now maturer and
a woman who is showing Avital Shcharansky pre- will happen to them, people stronger, recently arrived
great courage in her appeal sents her impassioned plea so dear to me, strong in here. Our ranks are grow-
to mankind and especially to mankind, asserting: spirit but old and sick? ing.
"Correspondence with
"No. I shall not concede. I
to the people of the United
"A half year has passed
States to come to the rescue since that day in Washing- shall not resign myself. hundreds of people all over
ton
when
I
found
out
that
a
Thank
God,
I
have
friends
the
world continues. Ses-
of her husband.
Editor-in-Chief
Avital's story is more Soviet court had condemned — they will not leave me. sions on the Turkmen
Emeritus, JTA
than a book about Soviet me and my husband to 13 We shall continue until we carpet-sofa, the summing
Tolik
here,
beside
up
of
our
experience
and
the
see
(Copyright 1979, JTA, Inc.)
dissidence; it is also a years of waiting, loneliness shall
love story. Born Natalya, and suffering. us."
The Avital Shcha-
JDC ACHIEVEMENTS, PROBLEMS: The Joint
she changed her name to
"I didn't have enough
Distribution Committee is coming this week to its annual
the Hebrew Avital after strength then to continue in ran sky epilogue is a
powerful
appeal
to
meeting
with a record of important breakthrough
discovering her parents America much longer, for a
achievements and also with financial problems.
were Jewish (but had little more than a week, I monkind for justice and
in
its
text
it
serves
as
a
It is only natural that financial problems should arise
concealed it from her to traveled to various cities,
for JDC this year. The greater the accomplishments, the
spare her the persecution met with people, took part refrain to all human ef-
larger the budget requirements. The requirements now
they had suffered).
in meetings and demonstra- forts against tyranny.
She describes how
come in addition to the fact that the value of the dollar is
As an art student in Mos- tions. The American people
Anatoly's mother and his
being reduced in countries overseas where the JDC is
cow, she read an under- were kind to me; they sym-
brother have assumed
operating. They are also due to the increased number of
ground copy of "Exodus," pathized with Tolik and me,
great roles in tasks for his
Jewish transmigrants from the Soviet Union who remain
and became obsessed with and supported us.
"The
scientists
who
release
and
her
appeal
to
in Italy en route to Israel and opt for visas to the United
her ethnic heritage. It was
States and other free countries and who must be main-
not long after that she met had invited me, who in- mankind, in relation to
tained in Italy by JDC until their visas arrive —an average
Anatoly, who had arrived at eluded in their number this family unity,
of three months.
the same decision to emi- Nobel laureates and acclaims:
SHCHARANSHY
ANATOLY
"Ida
Petrovna
continues
Added to these factors is also the changed situation in
grate after being beaten up other distinguished sci-
Iran, where JDC expected to gradually start divesting itself
at the age of 17 by his best entists, worked out a to strive for justice with un-
believable
heroism
and
per-
working
out
of
new
plans
all
of some phases of its program by transferring some of its
friends when they found out serious program of ac-
obligations to the local Jewish community.
tivity in defense of my sistence. She writes letters continue as before.
he was a Jew.
to Brezhnev, the Prosecutor
And now I am setting out
husband.
Joan
Baez
sang
The JDC budget last year was $44.9 million. This year
In "Next Year in
again. First Europe, then it was originally set at $47 million — the largest budget the
Jerusalem" Avital writes a for me and my husband of the USSR, the adminis-
tration
of
the
prison
-where
America.
•
JDC had in a generation — but in the middle of the year a
love story, portraying devo- at a huge student meeting
This time don't return revised budget of $59 million was approved. For 1980, a
Tolik is serving his term,
tion to the man to whom she in San Francisco. In Los
trying to defend her son without Tolik. And try to
budget of $64 million is being proposed. The 1980 budget
has dedicated her life, link- Angeles, the actor
with all her remaining
make it as quick as possi- may climb even higher since it is expected that 50,000 Jews
ing it with the great ideal of Charlton Heston read To-
strength.
ble,'
says
Hannale
as
she
lik's
final
words
at
the
will be permitted to emigrate from the Soviet Union. It is
justice for all refusniks, all
"Her son Leonid helps
bids farewell.
anticipated that 70 percent of them will probably remain in
who are striving for freedom trial before a huge crowd
"The sun is rising Italy as "dropouts." The JDC budget for aiding them has
her. Tolik's fate completely
of demonstrators.
in the Soviet Union.
above
Jerusalem.
People
Now there is a greater "In each city I faced meet- changed his brother's life.
already been increased this year to $16 million.By the end
are hurrying to work. of this year, with 4,000 Jews coming out from Russia every
sense of urgency to have ings with scientists, press He had previously consid-
Small, independent chil- month, it may go to $22 million, and in 1980 to $28 million.
Anatoly released. A fellow conferences, television pro- ered Tolik's desire to live in
dren, with big briefcases
prisoner has written that grams. But my strength was Israel as an eccentricity
Fortunately, the U.S. government reimburses the JDC
on their backs, run to for the Soviet transmigrant program to the extent of 93
Anatoly has a constant, coming to an end. One and, distant from all these
school. Mothers with percent, but the remainder must be covered from the JDC
shivering fever, is losing a morning I simply couldn't problems, he often didn't
strollers fill the streets treasury.
great deal of weight, and get out of bed. I had to cancel understand his brother at
and courtyards.
suffers periodic loss of all my planned trips and in all.
With all its financial problems, JDC is still giving
"Now he has taken his
"And I? Again — a taxi, priority in its budget to humanitarian needs in Israel. It is
vision. His mother, who was a few days, realizing that
the airport. Again desper- engaged in 95 projects and programs there and spends on
ate efforts — and what lies them 27 percent of its entire budget. It also supports 155
ahead? How will it end?
yeshivot in Israel with 26,000 students. It launched 30 new
"Fear overcomes me, projects and programs during the year.
whispers to me: 'You are
"SOMETHING NEW" ADDED: The JDC also comes
trying to fight against evil. to its annual meeting this year with an Endowment Fund.
It is enormous, powerful.
The purpose of this innovation is to strengthen the
Today it has strength. You capabilities of the JDC to address those human needs that
and your Tolik don't exist go beyond what is provided on a regular basis by the annual
for it. You can't stand up to funds which JDC receives from the Jewish federations
it. You are doomed. Recon- through the United Jewish Appeal; these funds are ear-
cile yourself, give up the marked for mandated programs.

it AL

_*k -__

`Between You
.. and Me'

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