Jewish Communities in Latin America and Israel Protest Soviet Treatment of Jews

An unprecedented declaration of concern with the plight of Soviet Jewry has been issued by Brazilian Jewry in a 1500-word manifesto given wide dissemination in the news media. The detailed document, released by the Confederation of Brazilian Jews, attacked Soviet policy toward its Jews as anti-Semitic and discriminatory, scored it for seeking to destroy Israel, deplored the self-disparagement of 52 high-ranking Soviet Jews, and called for freedom of emigration. Confederation president Moyses Kauffmann spoke personally to the press here. In Rio de Janeiro, Samuel Malamud, president of the local branch, met with the Brazilian Press Association. The manifesto was up to date on facts regarding the situation of Soviet Jews, with the most recent developments in the form of attached Xerox sheets. Accompanying the document was an open letter to United Nations Secretary General U Thant signed by 25 Russian Jews seeking emigration to Israel.

(In Mexico City, the Union of Rabbis of Latin America has issued two statements protesting the treatment of Soviet Jewry and U.S. policy towards Israel. One statement was sent to President Nixon, according to Rabbi Abraham M. Hershberg, president of the organization. The statement protesting treatment of Soviet Jewry, declared the Soviet Union “wants to destroy the spiritual life of the Jewish people behind the Iron Curtain.” It noted that Soviet policy has always been to prevent rabbis from involvement in politics, but that “when it comes (time) to speak against Israel,” the Soviet government has used and forced rabbis to speak, out. The statement also noted that “Some Jewish leaders still believe that we should be silent and not demonstrate against our enemies.” Recalling that six million Jews were killed by the Nazis while Jews were silent, the statement called on Jews to “demonstrate in our synagogues, in our schools, and all over” against the Soviet treatment of Jews. The statement sent to President Nixon noted that “I (Rabbi Hershberg) know you are a great friend of the State of Israel, as you mentioned to me that you are very interested in the welfare of Israel. I have also heard from David Ben Gurion, former Prime Minister of Israel, that he feels the same way.” He appealed to Nixon to help bring the combatants in the Middle East together in face to face peace talks.)

(In Jerusalem, Miss Angie Brooks, president of the United Nations General Assembly was released today from Hadassah Hospital where she had been confined for the past week with a respiratory ailment. While hospitalized, she received a petition from the Israeli National Students Union demanding full rights for Soviet Jews. According to sources the petition was conveyed to Miss Brooks by Foreign Ministry officials because she was unable to receive a student delegation due to her illness. Miss Brooks is reported to have also received several requests from private persons seeking her aid in behalf of relatives who want to leave the Soviet Union. The Council of Women’s Organizations in Israel issued an appeal to women’s groups throughout the world to use their influence in behalf of the Jews in the Soviet Union to emigrate and join other members of their families in Israel. The appeal cited the eight-day hunger strike by Yasha Kazakov as an event which symbolized “the suffering of hundreds of thousands of Jews” in Russia.)