Between the Lines

The death of Peter Smidowitch, vice-president of the Soviet Union, will be regretted by many Jews in Soviet Russia, not only because of the fact that Smidowitch devoted the last fifteen years of his life to helping Jewish colonization, but also because he was perhaps the only high Soviet official who considered the Zionist and the religious interests of the Jews.

It was Smidowitch who legalized the Hechalutz movement in Russia under the Soviet regime. It was he who supported the Jewish farms which the Hechalutz established in Crimea as well as in the Moscow district. It was he who enabled many Chalutzim to leave Soviet Russia for Palestine at a time when no Soviet citizen could leave the country.

RESPECTED JEWISH RELIGION

Similar was his attitude towards the Jewish religion. Himself not a Jew and definitely anti-religious, he did much to check the anti-religious activities of the Jewish section of the Communist party, known as the Yevsekzia. As the head of the anti-religious department established by the Soviet government, Smidowitch many a time vetoed the decisions of Jewish Communists in Moscow and in other cities to convert synagogues into labor clubs. It is due to Smidowitch that the famous Choral Synagogue in Moscow is still a synagogue and not a Communist club, despite the many efforts of the Jewish Communists to the contrary.

From the personal experiences which I had with Smidowitch, I developed not only great respect for him, but a sincere feeling of love. This old man was one of the few Soviet leaders who always considered human feeling, especially when it affected Jews. He was always ready to exercise his power and to intervene with other powerful Soviet leaders to prevent the persecution of Jews by Jewish Communists. He was a non-Jew with a Jewish heart.

DISLIKED THE YEVSEKZIA

I shall never forget the occasion when the Jewish colonists in Crimea were ordered to work on Yom Kippur. The Jewish Communist press was jubilant about this order, but when I drew the attention of Smidowitch to the fact that this would mean subjecting many Jews to moral suffering, he immediately withdrew the order.

Despite the fact that he was the vice-president of the Soviet government, Smidowitch was later sharply criticized by the Jewish Communist press for rescinding the order. He was accused of stimulating religion among the Jewish colonists and of hampering the anti-religious campaign in the country. Smidowitch was however; too great a personality to pay attention to these attacks. He continued his fatherly care of the Jewish colonists in every respect, even in that of religious observance.

HELPED PALESTINE EMIGRATION

It was on more than one occasion that I succeeded through Smidowitch in obtaining visas for young Soviet Jews who wanted to proceed to Palestine as Chalutzim. There is today quite a number of young Jews in Palestine who will mourn the death of Smidowitch in no less degree than they would mourn the death of any important Jewish leader.

Smidowitch was one of the Hasidei Umath Haolom, one of the fine non-Jews who felt for and understood the Jews. This is why he gave his life to settling Jews on the land. This is why he saw to it that the Soviet government should make the largest allocations possible to Jewish colonization. This is why he dreamed of proclaiming Biro-Bidjan a Jewish autonomous republic. This is why he never fell under the influence of those Jewish Communists who wanted to make a career of destroying Jewish life in Russia instead of rebuilding it.

REBUILDER OF JEWISH LIFE

Smidowitch was the rebuilder of Jewish life in the U. S.S. R. To him tens of thousands of Jews owe their adjustment to a new life as farmers and artisans. American Jewry owes him special thanks because of his wholehearted cooperation with Dr. Joseph Rosen in the work which the Agro-Joint is conducting in the Soviet Union. In Jewish history the name of Smidowitch will be engraved among those who have helped millions of Jews not with words, but with great deeds.