The Canadian Jewish News, Thursday, April 30, 198 j-Pajge 11
TORONTO —•
Rita Mariasin Yprsh knows what it means to suffer.
She suffered for two years while she awaited an; exit visa froni RussiaT where she was involved with- the activist movement. "Iwas followed day and-Jiight," she said in a recent interview during-a-visit to Toronto, "even to the public washrooms. 1
was arrested, and harassed;" . V
Bat,she declared, ^'thls does not compare with the anguish of the last nine years daring . which- my parents and ^sister have b^n repeatedly refused permission to emigrate."
Rita's father is 55 years old. "His health^^is failing. He had one kidney removed some years ago ami is experiencing problems
with the other kidney. "My parents," said Rita, "have never seen their second grandchild. The Soviet government will not allow thern to be reunited. with their family."
Although Rita was permitted to emigrate to Israel in 1972, her parents, Alexander and' Lea_Mari-asin, were blamed by Russian authorities for failing to raise their daughter
on 1^
TORONTO^
The internationally known," Zemel choir of London, England, will be heard'in Canada for the first time at a concert on Monday evening. May 4, at Beth Emeth Bais Yehu-
da Synagogue, 100 Elder
St.;
The Ghoir. in existence for over 25 years, is on a North American tour and will appear herein support of the recently established
Anthony Saunders
She'arim Hebrew Day School.
The program will feature also selections by Cantor Tibor Kelen,- who served at B'riai Israel-Beth David-Beth Am Congregation and by Cantor Louis Danto of Beth Emeth Bais Yiehuda.
The choir will sing works by Lewandowski, Ernest Bloch, Paul Ben-.Haim, Moshe Wilensky and other leading composers. Antony Saunders is director of the choir. Maureen Creese will accompany at the piano.
The Zemel choir, established in 1955, has aimed to explore the world of Jewish choral music. Over the years, it has broadened its repertoire to include music from a broad ^range of choral compositions, from Ba:ch and Renaissance materials to contemporary offerings. ' The choir has per-• formed at sach international festivals as the Eisteddfod hi Wales and the Zimriyah tn Israel. It has made several recordings, the most recent of which is Ernest Bloch's Sacred Service (Avodat Hakodesh), in which the choir is Joined by the London Symphony Orchestra.
In reviewing a recent concert of the Zemel en-
properly by; not ihstillin^^ within her the proper Soviet doctrine and Alexander was dismissed from his position as vice-president of a riadip equipment manufactiiring company. This, BEFORE the parents had applied to emigrate.
^Another da.ughter, Faina, was expelled from a linguTstic course at the University of Riga, mid-
semble, the London Daily Telegraph wrote that the group's tones are "rich and sonorous, its phrases perfectly, balanced, and every attack clean and accurate." The Times of London has reported that the singing is marked by rhythmic strength, full-throated tones, vitality and precision; their unanimity of attack showed choral virtuosity of a high order."
The concert committee is chaired by Alex Eisen and Ralph Snow. The planning committee includes;: Rabbi Joseph Kel-man, chairman; Rabbi Sheldon Steinberg, Rabbi Irwin E. Witty, Brenda Rothenberg, Dorothy Shoichet, Pearl Langer, Shirley Steinberg, Harriet Morton and Philip Soiffer.
Tickets Are on sale at $36, $18 and $9. For Information and reservations caU: 633-8247 or 222-7267.
The She'arim Hebrew Day School, opened last September, is housed in rented quarters at the Wilmington Public School, 200 Wilmington Ave., Downsview. It provides a program of individual instruction for children with learning disabilities. Registration for the 1981-82 school team is now in progress.
way through her fourth year of studies —^ for no apparent reason.
In light of these circumstances, Alexander applied for ah exit visa to Israel in 1974. Without-work, the family has sold most of the material pos-"^essions in order to exist from one day to the next: ,
During Rita's trip to Toronto, a"'special planning meeting was held by B^nai B'rith's Yorkdale Lodge, whose members have adopted the Mariasin family as part of B'nai B'rith's Adopt-a^Refuse-nik project. According to Ralph Snow, president of the Yorkdale lodge, the meeting was arranged "to intensify the drive to arouse Canadian public opinion in the Mariasin case."
Yorkdale Lodge is deeply involved in the case, as the wife of lodge member Eagene Katz is the sister of Lea Mariasin, Rita's mother. Jast over a year ago the 180 members of Yorkdale Lodge Joined with the Katzes In a han-
ger strike : to  protest , against Sfoviet reftisal to permit emigiration of the Mariasin family^
Rita briefed the B'riai B'rith leaders here on her parents' situation to date. She described how. her parents have been subjected to a series of harass-ments since, they made an application to leave in 1974. "They, have been followed, and compelled to come to the KGB for questioning on several occasions. Last year their apartment was searched, and various items were seized, including all books relating to Judaica. Some months later they were arrested for 48 hours. Upon their release. the;y xe-turned to their home to find it had been searched again, and bugged with electronic devices."
For four months Rita did not have any communication with her parents because, in the latest of the Soviet's tactics, the telephone was disconnected. According to Rita., this was carried out in direct re-
sponse to a hunger strike that hex parents and a number of dissidents staged during the recent Madrid conference. —
Sarii Grossman, chairman of B'nai B'rith's So-viist Jewry committee, announced that B'nai B'rith"
"will initiate a multi-pronged program to heighten public awareness of the.case." First of
' these efforts will include a letter writing campaign to every member of Parliament in Ottawa, and a direct appeal to local rabbis to speak out from their pulpits.
Other long range plans are being investigated . . . to co-ordinate activites globally, Contact has been eSjtablished with organizations all over the world, including B'nai B'riths in Philadelphia and Paris, which have also adopted theMariasins.
Grossman said it is dif-ficalt to analyze exactly what kinds of pressure have effect on the Soviet authorities ''since th^re does not seem to be any
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logic in their reactions." He said B'nai B'rith wiU continue to explore every possible means on' the Mariasins'behalf..' "In spite of the fact that - the Mariasins have been waiting for nine years, we cannot forget their case. We must continue to focus public attention on what is a direct contravention of the Helsinki final accords, which guarantee tfie'' basic human rights of families to be reunited," Grossrnan said.
From Toronto, Rita Mariasin Yorsh travels to London to confer with the Group of 35 and meet with the ministry of foreign affairs. According to Rita, the London group has excellent connections in the Soviet Union, and often receives information even before she does.
Asked how she views her parents' situation today, Rita stated: "1 have no feelings left. One month ago I had hope when there were massive internal changes in the
structure of the Soviet possible to live without
congress , . . but still hope. As terrible as it is, I
nothing. I don't know what only pray that it doesn't
to think now and it is im- becoitie worse"!
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