Sdiionk Ohm
$. JiafdoiL
H
ome IS the
th
BY HENRY LEONARD
MliiT-ii-ii
JOY AND PAIN, two opposite yet related emotions, converged at year's end as Jews throughout the world rejoiced over the liberation of Jews from-cruel Soviet oppression and wept and fasted for the many who still remain incarcerated in Russian prisons.
The news spread swiftly. Boris Kochubiyevsky, already a legendary heroic figure, had reached Israel safely after being arrested, tried aiid imprisoned for three years. The 35-year-old Jewish en^ gineer from Kiev had been the first Russian Jew to demand publicly civil and emigration rights for his fellow Jews, declaring in a letter that he would go to Israel even if he had to walk all the way.
Kochubiyevsky's famous letter, addressed to the Kremlin leaders, was written just before his arrest in December, 1968:
"I AM A JEW. I want to live in the Jewish State. This is my right, just as
it is the right of a Ukrainian to live in the Ukraine, the right t)f a Russian to live in Russia, the right of a Georgian to live in Georgia.
I want to live in Israel.
This is my dream, this is the goal not only of my life, but also of tht lives of hundreds of generations which preceded me, of my ancestors who were expelled from their land.
Let me go!
As long as I live, as long as lam capable of feeling, I shall devote all my strength to obtain an exit permit for Israel. And even if you should find it possible to sentence liie for this — I shall anyway, if I live long enough to be freed, be prepared even then to make my way even on foot to the homeland of my ancestors."
BORIS KOSHUBIYEVSKY IS FREE. But
when he arrived in his homeland his chief concern was for his fellow Jews whom he had left behind, especially those with whom he had been imprisoned in the infamous Potma strict regime labor camp. Upon his arrival at Lydda Airport, he told newsmen that threats and beatiiigs were a daily occurrence and that although his alleged offense was political, he had been imprisoned with hardened criminals. He said that camp authorities encouraged the mis -treatment of Jewish prisoners by their fellow inmates.
Kodtmoh
'-And More we hear Sister Goodman's report oit the state of our treasury,. .. let us have a moment of prayer/*
Mitten^ S^UCoft'
As the first anniversary approached of the initial Leningrad trial in which cruel sentences^ including death sentences (later commuted) were pronounced, the relatives and friends of Jews in Russian prisons gathered at the Western Wall in Jerusalem to pray and fast. With them in person was the first Jewish political I wish to express this CouncU's prisoner to be sent to Potma,. Boris ?P£'"!^^?®" "^^^t^^ Kochubiyevsky. , - ^- ^-i- -i- —
urges
of Botherhood project
Dear Mr. Kaplan:
On behalf of the co-chairman of the Pacific region Canadian Council of Christians and Jews,
day, Feb. 20 to Sunday^ Feb. Many special levtents willbei^laivi fbr this week across: Canada.
Through the iiiedia of The letin it is wondered if an bi ization witiiin the Jewish c^ munity in Vwcouver would be^ terested in co-sponsoring as; Brotherhood esisayimd poster^
I want my children to study in a school in the Hebrew language. I want to read Jewish papers, I want to attend a Jewish theatre. What's wrong with that? What is mr crime? Most of my relatives w^re shot by the fascists. My father perished and his parents were alive now, they would side. Let me go!
killed. Were they be standing at my
I have repeatedly turned with this request to various authorities and have achieved only this: Dismissal from my job, my wife's expulsion from her Insti-tue; and, to crown it all, a criminal charge of slandering Soviet reality. What is this slander? Is it slander that in the multinational Soviet State only the Jewish people cannot educate its children in Jewish schools? Is it slander that there is no Jewish theatre in the USSR? Is it slander that in the USSR there are no Jewish papers? By the way, no one even denies this. Perhaps it is slander that for over a year I have not succeeded to obtain an exit permit for IsraeI?*Or is it slander that nobody wants to speak to me, that there is nobody to complain to? Nobody reacts. But even this isn't the heart of the matter. I don't want to be, involved in the national affairs of a state in which I consider myself an alien. I want to go away from here. I want to live in Israel. My wish does not contradict Soviet law.
I have an affidavit of invitation from relatives; all the formalities have-been observed. Is that why you are instituting a criminal case against me?
Is that why my home was searched?
I am not asking for mercy. Listen to the voice of reason:
For the 22 Jewish prisoners still in Potma had called a hunger strike and though it was scheduled to last one day, Friday, December 24, it was learned that Aleksei Murzhenko, . a 29^ear-oid nbn^Jew sentenced to 14 y6^rs in a special^^ strict-regime camp at the first Lehingrad trial, fasted for 27 days and had to be fo(rce-fed five times during that period. After the first twelve days he was joined by Edvard Kuznetsov, 30, and Yuri Fedorov, a 26-year-old non-Jew, who fasted with Murzhenko for 15 days. Outside the prison,
Jews also fasted in sympathy with the prisoners. (For three days 34 Jews in Moscow fasted, 21 in Kishinev, 11 in Vilna, seven in Odessa, 29 in Riga, 19 in Kiev, 12 in Leningrad, eight in Tashkent and one in Rostov).
A FEW JEWS in the U.S. and Canada fasted in sympathy with the "prisoners of conscience," but the thoughts and hearts of many were with them in their ordeals. More than 20,000 New Yorkers crowded Madison Square Garden at a "Freedom Lights for Soviet Jewry" rally on the second night of Chanuka and gave a standing ovation to another former Potma inmate, Riga nurse Ruth Aleksandrovich, who expressed her gratitude "to all of you and all of those who helped in getting me out of the Soviet Union." .
She then expressed her love for Israel and urged the massive audience not to forget those still imprisoned in Soviet jails, especially her former fellow prisoner, the ailing Sylva Zalmanson Kuznetsov, who was reportedly too weak to participate in the fast of the prisoners which took place at Potma on December 24.
individuals, clubs aiid organizations who actively helped to bring a little cheer into the lives of
many unfortunate pef^le over the test for all schools in the Prp
Chinuka and Christmas holidays ince of British CblimibiaV^
without question to their ethnic young people* regardleiss of
or religious baickgroimds. ? religion or ethnic baci
through the endeavors of many wbiild be eligible^
in the Jewish community thei true v Chief.Pa^ tieoi^e is^^^t^^ meaning of Brotherhi^)|i^s i%al^ : thei^hc^ week chairirism^
bourne out. • ^^^^v ' year'aiiia
For the past quarter century around the Chief.
the Canadian,Council of Christians and Jews has been teaching Brotherhood to all. One of the Councils many annual projects throughout the year is the sponsorship of National Brotherhood Week. It's
The Pacific region Cjauui^ Council of Christians and: is prepared to lend its comifr resources to such an uhdei in conjunction with its 25th niversary celebration. Advice and comments from
a time set aside annually to evaluate the true meaning of Brother- readers will be greatly apprb' hood and what we ourselves are iated.
doing to make Brotherhood a reality amongst all people.
Brotherhood Week in 1972 will be celebrated nationally from Sun-
EICHMANN INFOflUMER GETS LARGtlSMEL REWARD
TEL AViy — A 70 year-old blind Argentinian Jew will receive a $10,000 reward from the Israeli government for providing; information that led to the capture of Adolf Eichmann in Argentina, in 1960, it was announced here, thus ending the 12 year- fight of Luther Herman of Buenos Aires to claim the reward which he says is rightfully his.
IMPLEMENT RESOLUTION UNITEJD NATIONS — U Thant bid formal farewell to the United Nations recently by asserting that it was "imperative" that Security Council Resolution 242 be "fully implemented."
JOHN Executive nil
Minaclii Women'fl
Dinner —___.-_Jan.l Touth Aliya Men's &
Campaign Jan. 16 r Feb. I BJB. Men's Conference Jan. 16' Tenth Aliya Luncheon Jan. IS* Hadaffiah Centre
Seminar Series______Jan. 1
Negev Dinner_______Jvd
U.J.A..Commani<y /
Meettng-^Ambassador
Theodore Meron.....Jan. 24
Hadassah-J.CC^ Seminar
Series____Jan. 26'
ORT Art Club Theatre
Night—"Play It Again,
Sam"_____:_______Jan. 30
Endorsatieni are published as Builafin community sarvlct. Errors, i>r omisitons can be. corraeted only by Jewish Community Fund & Coun> til. Ph. 261-8101.—THE PUBLiSHEa.
Tfmgbt for Hie
from the TA£MUD
The Evil Impulse is sweet in the beginning arid bitter at the end.
Y. Shabbat, 14, 3.
Light Candles,
Friday, Jan. 7, Sedre, Shmot, Exodus Havdala 5:10
Friday, Jan. 14, 4:20 Havdala 5:30 .
All holidays begin the procoding eve at sundown.
JEWISH CALENX-AR (LUACH) 1972
Ttt B'Shvat —_____—Jan.31
Parini _........---------------Feb. 29
Passover _------„„......Mar. .30
Israel Independence
Day--^-------Apr. 19
Shavnot „_________-----May 19
— DEATHS 1972 RAYHOENER Januaiy 1
As another Bunetin community ser* vice feafure> Deaths will be eub" ilsned weekly as they are registered.—THE PUBLISHER.
miaim
WSSnKHtBUnHI
since 1930 the only weekly publication serving Jewry of the Pacific Northwest
Friday, January 7,1972
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