Student Group Asks B’nai B’rith for Greater Involvement in Plight of Soviet Jews

A possible confrontation between the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry and the B’nai B’rith over the issue.of involvement in the plight of Soviet Jews has developed into an at least temporary cease-fire. Fifteen of the students walked into the B’nai B’rth office here last Friday following an all-night vigil at the Isaiah Wall across from United Nations headquarters, and sought to speak with officials there over what they termed insufficient B’nai B’rith activity on behalf of Soviet Jewry, it was reported today. They conferred for two hours with B’nai B’rith executives representing the Anti-Defamation League, the B’nai B’rith District Office and the affiliated Academic Committee for Soviet Jewry. Both report that a degree of mutual understanding was reached. Glen Richter, coordinator of the Student Struggle, called the meeting “very constructive.” He told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that the B’nai B’rith officials indicated they would seek greater B’nai B’rith activity on behalf of Soviet Jews. The student vigil near the UN was held to protest the arrests, raids and searches of Jews in several Soviet cities in connection with an alleged Jewish hijacking attempt of a plane at the Leningrad airport June 15.

The students made three suggestions to B’nai B’rith, Mr. Richter said–that it reprint the appeals of Soviet Jews as newspaper and magazine advertisements; that it initiate a regular Soviet Jewry newsletter to be sent to Jewish organizations, schools and synagogues; and that it create action committees for special crises like the arrest of the “Leningrad 8.” Mel Klarfeld, B’nai B’rith associate director for lodge services, told the JTA that he and his colleagues had advised the students that it had taken out such ads, but that a regular Soviet Jewry newsletter and the mailing of special appeals would be “very costly.” (B’nai B’rith now publishes a “National Jewish Monthly” and a monthly “Metropolitan Star.”) Mr. Klarfeld said B’nai B’rith had indicated to the students that “we are keeping abreast of the situation,” and that his organization had arranged for the students to meet separately with the national ADL. He told the JTA he recognized that the students are “a little frustrated” over repression of Soviet Jews. Both spokesmen reported agreement on relating the students’ requests to top B’nai B’rith officials. Mr. Richter said the executives at the meeting had promised “intensive thinking” about special-action committees, although Mr. Klarfeld noted the budgetary limitations.