Another Large Group of Soviet Jews Arrive in Israel; Report Several Jews Arrested

Another large group of Soviet Jews arrived here this morning, the third planeload to land since last Thursday. The newcomers, a large number of them children, youths and young couples, were from Moscow, Odessa, Riga, Minsk, Vilna, Tzernowitz and Oriel. Some of them told newsmen that while exit visas seemed easier to obtain, Soviet authorities were trying to discourage departures by breaking up families at the last minute and, in one case, removing a Jew from the bus that was to take him to the airport, Unrich Heyt, of Tzernowitz said he received exit permits five weeks ago for himself, his wife Rosa and their 22-year-old son, Michal, only to have the latter two revoked one day before their planned departure. He said the local authorities claimed his son had to serve in the Army although he is no longer a Soviet citizen. Heyt said the family decided that he should go to Israel alone and try from there to secure the departure of his wife and son.

Other Jews from Tzernowitz reported that about 15 more families in that town had received exit permits and may be expected in Israel shortly. They reported the arrest two months ago of one local Jew, Michael Reger, who was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for allegedly trying to bribe a clerk at the Ministry of Interior. Immigrants from Moscow reported that police arrested a Jew named Anatol Glod after he boarded a bus that was to take him to the airport for a flight to Vienna. Today’s arrivals included 23-year-old Israel Rashal, a technician from Minsk, who wrote the words to the song “Blue and White” which has become the unofficial anthem of Russian Jews seeking to emigrate to Israel. They also included Karl Pusmann, an engineer from Oriel who was imprisoned from 1958-65 for “Zionist ideas.” He said he had applied for exit papers six times and finally received his visa three weeks ago.