The Fears Return

Russian Jews weigh emigration amid deepening economic crisis

LEV KRICHEVSKY
Jewish. Telegraph Agency

Mosow
rina Meerzon knows that she is
in financial trouble. The
retired accountant's pension,
which had been the equivalent
of $60 per month as recently as
mid-August, is now worth roughly
$20 as a result of the ruble's free fall.
In the same time period, the prices
of food staples have risen 50 to 60
percent.
"I always had to count every
penny," the 74-year-old woman says,
"but now I'm on the verge of pover-
ty. ”
Roman Libin, 34, who published
a small advertising magazine for fur-
niture wholesalers, says he had to go
out of business last week because
"no one needs now what I've been
doing for the last four years."
Like other Russians, Jews here are
watching with dismay as the country
endures yet another period of chaos
— perhaps the most serious crisis
since the collapse of the Soviet
Union in 1991.
But mindful of what has histori-
cally happened here when Russia has
faced economic and political uncer-
tainty, Russian Jews are watching the
unfolding events with more uncer-
tainty and fear than their neighbors.
With an increasing number of
Jews concerned about a possible out-
break of anti-Semitism, another exo-
dus of Russian Jews appears to be
possible, and the crisis is already
threatening the Russian Jewish com-
munal structure that has been set up
since the fall of communism.
In mid-August, the Russian gov-
ernment stopped trying to prop up
the ruble. In less than two months,
the currency, which was relatively
stable during the past two years, lost
two-thirds of its value. And as is
usually the case when inflation sky-
rockets, consumers have been espe-
cially hard-hit.

I

In the fallout that ensued, the
young, reformist Prime Minister
Sergei Kiriyenko was ousted, and the
country's Parliament moved slowly

that is specific to Russia's Jewish
community.
"The second danger is typical for
every crisis in Russia," said
Golenpolsky. "When they are look-
ing for someone to blame for the sit-
uation, they will turn to the Jews."
Some Jews appear to be taking no
chances.
Sources at the Israeli Embassy in
Moscow said last month they have
had a flurry of inquiries about
immigration visas.
Viatgr
Yuri Teitelbaum, a Jewish activist
1:AE.R.%
in Krasnodar, said most of those
who have been emigrating from the
southern Russian region were either
pensioners or younger Jews. Now, he
said, Jews worried about providing
for and protecting their families are
likely to consider leaving Russia.
Among the hundreds of Russians who moved to the Detroit area in the early
Libin, the former magazine pub-
90s was Olga Veksler, her daughter and mother of West Bloomfield.
lisher, fits this profile. He said he
did not think about leaving the
country until several weeks ago.
"Now I seriously ponder this oppor-
tunity because in the current situa-
etroit-area Jewish agencies are beginning to plan for the fallout
tion I will soon have no money to
from the turmoil in Russia.
support my wife and kid," he said.
Approximately 600 Jews from the former Soviet Union have
Though there has not been an
been "approved by political process" to immigrate to the Detroit
increase
in the number of actual
area, according to Rachel Yoskowitz, director of citizenship and immigra-
emigrants, some are predicting that
tion service, of the Jewish Family Service.
emigration — to Israel and to
But the bureaucratic approval is only one step in the process by which
Germany — could skyrocket if the
they would actually leave their homes and head for Michigan. They have
economic and political situations
to make travel arrangements, including moving their possessions, and they
continue to deteriorate.
would need to clear out bank accounts or other savings — an unattractive
Israel has begun preparations for a
process when the ruble has collapsed so dramatically.
possible
wave of Russian immi-
Yoskowitz said there are "too many variables" to have a clear idea of
grants.
when the would-be immigrants will arrive or in what span of time.
"In October, we will have long
Beginning in the 1970's, the United States has taken in more than
lines in our office," said a senior
400,000 Jews from what was the Soviet Union. The majority of them
Jewish Agency for Israel official in
came after the union collapsed in 1991.
Russia.
The last major wave of 1,200 emigres arrived in Detroit between 1990
If the effects on aliyah are not yet
and 1991; since then new arrivals have averaged approximately 250 a year.
clear,
the financial crisis is already
About 4,500 Russian Jews have moved to the Detroit area since 1989.
affecting Jewish domestic charities.
—Harry Kirsbaum
The Russian Jewish Congress, a
group of local Jewish entrepreneurs
and financiers that has spent mil-
Jews feel today," said Tankred
before accepting Yevgeni Primakov
lions of dollars in the past two years
Golenpolsky, a prominent Jewish
as his replacement. Meanwhile,
on various communal projects, is
leader and publisher of the Moscow-
rumors continue to swirl about the
likely to cut its budget substantially.
based Evreyskaya Gazeta, a weekly
ongoing deterioration of the health
Vladimir Goussinsky, the multi-
Jewish newspaper.
and mental competence of President
millionaire businessman who is pres-
The first, Golenpolsky said, is the
ident of the congress, told delegates
Boris Yeltsin.
impoverishment
that Russian Jews
at the group's biennial convention in
All of which has Russian Jews, in
are experiencing along with other
Moscow earlier this month that the
particular, feeling anxious.
Russians. But there's another worry
"There are two dangers that we

600 Detroit Applicants

D

9 1 2 1
1 9 9 i

Detroit Jewish News

3