The largest single group of Soviet Jewish immigrants to arrive here in five years landed at Ben Gurion Airport Sunday night. The 42 men, women and children came on a flight from Moscow via Vienna, unannounced. The size of the group surprised Jewish Agency personnel waiting at the airport. It included several former activists for Jewish and Zionist rights in the USSR.
The newcomers are from Leningrad, Minsk, Moscow, Novosibirsk, Moldavia and Soviet Georgia. They reached Vienna Sunday and transferred immediately to a flight to Tel Aviv. Most Soviet Jews travelling via Vienna stop-over there to apply for visas to the U.S. or other Western countries. Only a minority have gone on the Israel.
Meanwhile, Soviet Jewry activists continued to picket the Tel Aviv Hilton Hotel Monday where a three-man Soviet consular delegation and their staff are staying. The Soviet delegation arrived a week ago. The activists carried posters demanding free emigration for Soviet Jews. They took turns reading out the names of Soviet Jews who have been denied exit visas.
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