Complaints by Soviet citizens, including members of the Communist Party, about the suppression of Jewish culture in the Soviet Union have been received by Lord Bertrand Russell, the noted British philosopher, it was revealed here today when Lord Russell made public the contents of a letter from a Moscow war veteran protesting against the “forced assimilation” of Soviet Jews.
The author of the letter, whose name was not disclosed, asked Lord Russell to approach Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev on the matter and to forward the complaint to the Moscow Yiddish publication, “Sovietism Heimland.” The British philosopher, who exchanged correspondence some time ago with Premier Khrushchev on the situation of Soviet Jewry, sent copies of the letter, without the signature, to the organ of the Soviet writers union “Literaturnaya Gazeta,” as well as to “Sovietish Heimland.”
The author of the letter, a member of the Communist Party, who said that he was writing on behalf of “a great number of people,” noted that although there are about 3, 000, 000 Jews in the USSR, “they do not have a newspaper in Moscow, Kiev, Minsk or in other centers, there are no Jewish libraries or schools where those who want to can learn the Jewish language; no clubs, theaters or other centers of cultural activity, and no public organization to serve the Jewish population.
“To our deep sorrow,” the Moscow letter continued, “it is impossible and even pointless that we should put the problem to the Soviet Government or any other responsible organization. We want nothing more than to receive the same rights as Jews in Poland, Rumania and Czechoslovakia.”
The writer of the letter informed Lord Russell that Jews in Russia had read the British philosopher’s communication to Premier Khrushchev concerning discrimination against Jews in the USSR at the trials dealing with economic crimes. In his own letter to “Literaturnaya Gazeta” and “Sovietish Heimland,” referring to the recent complaints by Soviet citizens, Lord Russell said:
“These Soviet citizens wish to enjoy the right to a full cultural life in the Soviet Union, They are Jews and they feel that they are denied the means of living a complete and satisfying life in the Soviet Union because they are denied the cultural facilities made available to all other national and minority groups in the USSR.”
Asking the magazines to publish his own letter as well as the copy of the letter from the Soviet citizen, Lord Russell added: “I write because I am concerned for justice and for the good name of the Soviet Union. Unless people who are concerned for both raise their voices, the case of peaceful coexistence and the pursuit of peace and general understanding between peoples and nations will be harmed by silence.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
