Twenty-five national Jewish organizations have offered to help the Jews of Odessa, the Soviet Union Black Sea port city, rebuild their Great Synagogue, destroyed by fire on Nov. 26. The American Jewish Conference on Soviet Jewry, coordinating body for the 25 groups, sent a telegram to synagogue officials offering the aid.
Signed by Lewis H. Weinstein of Boston, the Conference chairman, it said the “American Jewish community is saddened and distressed to learn of the destruction of your synagogue by fire. Our heartfelt wish is to be of all possible help in replacing Holy Scrolls and otherwise facilitate continuance of worship. Let us know your needs and how we may effectively assist.” The Conference said it was awaiting a reply.
The Soviet Government’s Novosti news agency attributed the fire to a “short circuit in electrical wiring in matzoh baking facilities.” Odessa has one of Russia’s largest Jewish communities. Novosti said “the Jewish religious community is taking measures for restoring the building of the synagogue and ensuring normal conditions for performance of religious rites by believers.”
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.
