Behind the Headlines Soviet Jews in Israel Are Emerging As a Political Force

Jewish immigrants from the Soviet Union, dissatisfied with the lock of progress in improving absorption procedures, solving their problems of housing and social and economic integration and deeply concerned over the rising rate of “dropouts” are beginning to emerge as a political force in Israel, ardently courted by the various political parties.

Their discontent was voiced at a conference of Soviet Jews in Israel held last week at Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheba under the chairmanship of Yosef Tekoah, president of the university and Israel’s former Ambassador to the United Nations. Aliya and absorption were the main topics on the agenda.

But significantly, the two top officials whose responsibility lies in those areas–Minister of Absorption David Levy and Leon Dulzin, chairman of the Jewish Agency and World Zionist Organization Executives–were not invited and did not attend. Shimon Peres, leader of the apposition Labor Party was present, however, and sat on the dais.

Victor Polsky, a leader of the emigres, observed that Soviet Jews in Israel now form a power bloc, and, if united, could win at least six seats in the Knesset. Until now, they have not used their political clout. But they will if there is no action taken to improve the absorption process or to reduce the high rate of dropouts, he said.

The 700 immigrants attending the Beersheba gathering, which was labeled an emergency conference, represented a variety of emigre organizations, all with the same goals in mind but with differing opinions on how to achieve them.

TENSION AT THE CONFERENCE

Tension was evident from the start of the conference. Leaflets were distributed claiming that the list of official invitees was prepared by a political party–unidentified–which allegedly is trying to turn the immigrants into a political tool. Representatives of rival groups interfered with speeches and a scuffle almost developed of one point, causing the presiding official to warn that hecklers would be removed from the hall by force.

Speakers bitterly attacked the policies of the Absorption Ministry and what they claimed was the negative attitude of the Israeli public at large toward aliya in general and Russian olim in particular. Attacks were also aimed at the official Russian-Jewish immigrant establishment, the Association of Russian Jews in Israel, for failing to remedy deficiencies in aliya and absorption.

DEMANDS BY THE IMMIGRANTS

Strong resolutions were adopted noting that immigration was endangered by the many difficulties in Israel and the alarming dropout rate. The conference called on the government to create employment and housing conditions that would encourage immigrants from the Soviet Union and facilitate their successful absorption. It urged planned absorption that included the prior creation of employment opportunities, especially for academic olim and professionals.

The Health Ministry was criticized for creating artificial obstacles to the absorption of olim with medical training. The establishment of a health resort on the Dead Sea was proposed as a source of jobs for immigrants in the medical profession. Other proposals included the building of a Russian immigrant town in the Galilee and improved reception facilities at Ben Gurion Airport.

With respect to the dropout issue, the conference urged the government and the Jewish Agency to see to it that all Jews leaving the USSR are flown directly to Israel where they can later decide whether to remain or go elsewhere. The conference issued a special appeal to American Jews to launch a public campaign against the blandishments allegedly given Jews from the Soviet Union by American Jewish organizations and other to come to the U.S.

The resolution concluded with a declaration to Jews still in the Soviet Union: “Your pain is our pain. Your suffering is ours. We will not rest or cease our struggle until every Jew has the right to come to Israel.”