Attacks on Jewish Religion and Zionism Continue to Appear in Moscow Press

The New York Times continued today to report that the Jewish religion and Jewish cultural institutions, as well as Zionism, are singled cut for attacks in the Soviet press, in the campaign against “cosmopolitanism” now being conducted in the Soviet Union.

Quoting the Vetchernaya Moskva, a Moscow evening newspaper, the Times published excerpts from an article which appeared in that paper attacking the Soviet writer Alexander Isbakh for his semi -autobiographical book, “Years of Life,” and charging him with “glorification of the Jewish religion.”

Stating that “Isbakh was the pseudonym for Isaac Bakrahk,” the article, as quoted in the Times, says: “The entire book from the first to last page is saturated with religious cultism. We learn the smallest details of the Jewish ritual service and we may even read in Isbakh’s book the text of the funeral prayer.” The article claims that “Isbahk openly propagandizes for Zionism in his book” by telling of the influence which Zionism had on Jews. It notes that the book reproduces “the text of the Zionist hymn” and charges the author with devoting many pages “to describing the reading of the Talmud.”