Major Jewish organizations in Britain joined with the Board of Deputies of British Jews today in a special meeting aimed at expressing “the deep and solemn concern of the whole Jewish community about the position of Soviet Jewry.” The meeting was keyed to the fact that Soviet Premier Alexei N. Kosygin, currently on a state visit to Britain, has refused to meet with a Jewish delegation to discuss the fate of Russian Jews.
The entire gathering rose and stood with heads covered as Dr. Solomon Gaon, Haham of the British Sephardic community, and a representative of the Chief Rabbinate, joined in reciting a special prayer for Soviet Jewry.
Solomon Teff, president of the Board of Deputies, informed the gathering that efforts to secure a meeting with Premier Kosygin on the question of Soviet Jewry were again rebuffed when Mr. Teff was personally introduced to Mr. Kosygin by British Prime Minister Harold Wilson at a reception at Lancaster House here. Mr. Teff, who repeated the request for a meeting in the presence of the Soviet Ambassador, was told by the latter that such a meeting was “impossible.” Mr. Teff told today’s gathering that “something was achieved by the fact that the Premier introduced a representative of the Board of Deputies to Mr. Kosygin.” He stressed that the implications would not be lost on the Soviet authorities or on Soviet Jewry.
280 MP’S JOIN FROTEST; 2,000 STAGE MARCH TO SOVIET EMBASSY
Sir Barnett Janner, Labor member of Parliament and head of the Board’s commission on foreign affairs, informed the gathering that more than 280 MP’s had now signed the Parliamentary motion on Soviet Jewry, but stressed that there was no antagonism against the Soviet Union nor any political motive in the appeal.
Meanwhile, some 2,000 students and personalities in academic life marched today from Hyde Park to the Soviet Embassy, where they presented a memorandum on Soviet Jewry. The marchers included Rabbi Saul Amias, and two Catholic priests. The demonstration was orderly, and there were no incidents.
An appeal to Premier Kosygin in behalf of Soviet Jewry was contained in a letter published in yesterday’s London Times, signed by eight leading university professors and the noted playwright-author, Lernard Kops. The letter hailed Mr. Kosygin’s visit as a welcome sign of closer British-Russian relations, but called on him to fulfill his promise, made during his recent visit to France, that Soviet Jews would be allowed to leave the country to rejoin their families in other lands.
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