British Chief Rabbi Israel Brodie appealed to Soviet authorities today “in the name of Angle-Jewry” to permit Soviet Jews to have matzoths for Passover next month.
The statement cited the announcement in the Moscow Central synagogue on March 16 that, as happened in 1962, the state bakeries would not provide matzoth this year. The congregants had been advised to do their best to bake matzoth in their homes.
The Chief Rabbi cited the difficulties for Soviet Jews in such home baking and noted that any Jewish family which was able to bake more than it needs and sought to dispose of the excess to other families might well be arrested for speculation. The appeal urged the Soviet officials “even at this late hour” to reconsider the decision “and permit this basic religious requirement to be performed in an adequate and satisfactory manner.”
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