19 Congressmen Send Rosh Hashanah Appeal to Soviet on Jews

Nineteen members of Congress today Joined in a Rosh Hashanah appeal to Soviet Ambassador Anatoly F. Dobrynin to ease restrictions against the Jewish religion in Russia “in view of the efforts presently exerted world-wide for better relations between governments and peoples.” The letter was drafted by Rep. Leonard Farbstein, New York Democrat and co-signed by 18 non-Jewish colleagues. The signatories were all members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Citing the Jewish High Holidays, the letter asked the Soviet Ambassador to request that the Soviet Government consider the deteriorating situation of Soviet Jewry. The letter referred to the closing of synagogues in a number of cities which are now without religious facilities, imprisonment of Jews for distributing matzoth, publication of slanders against synagogues to “excite anti-Semitism among the masses,” revival of ritual murder charges, and other anti-Jewish developments.

The Ambassador was asked to urge his government “to take steps to alleviate the reported conditions adversely affecting Jewry in the Soviet Union” so that Jews will be treated no differently than other Soviet citizens. “Should such treatment be incompatible with conditions in the Soviet Union,” said the Congressional letter, “we strongly urge that you permit the emigration of those Soviet Jews who seek to go to other lands.”

In addition to Rep. Farbstein, Committee members who signed the letter were Representatives Charles Diggs, Jr., William S. Broomfield, Edward J. Derwinski, Lindley Beck worth, Donald M. Fraser, Ronald B. Cameron, Dante B. Fascell, Robert R. Barry, Clement J. Zablocki, Harris B. McDowell, Jr., Robert N.C. Nix, Vernon W. Thomson, John S. Monagan, J. Irving Whalley, Barratt O’Hara, James F. Battin, William T. Murphy, and Cornelius E. Gallagher.