Congressional Report Says Hias is Not Diverting Soviet Jews to the U.S.

A report released today by Rep. Joshua Eilberg (D.Pa.) shows that HIAS is not pressuring newly emigrated Soviet Jews to divert them from Israel to the United States. Eilberg said the study finds that Soviet Jews have decided where to settle “long before” they meet resettlement officials in Vienna, their first stop on leaving the USSR.

HIAS, according to the study, has no contact with the Soviet Jews until after they have indicated to the Jewish Agency that they do not want to go to Israel, Eilberg said. That first contact with HIAS takes place after the Jewish Agency has made several efforts to convince the Soviet Jews to go to Israel, and after the Jewish Agency has referred them to HIAS.

Eilberg said the report is the result of an investigation by staff of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship and International Law, which he chairs. The Congressman said he asked for the report “to clarify conflicting accounts we have received that Soviet Jews are subjected to undue pressure to turn one way or another once they leave the Soviet Union.”

Eilberg said the study surveyed more than 170 newly arrived Soviet Jews of varied job and academic backgrounds. They were interviewed in Vienna concerning their reception on their arrival there, and as to when they decided they did not want to go to Israel.

REPORT’S MAIN CONCLUSION

The main conclusion of the report to Eilberg states: “It was the opinion of the interviewing officers that the Soviet Jews had made up their minds as to their end destination long before they arrived at the reception center in Vienna. There was no indication that HIAS or any other agency attempted to dissuade the Soviet Jews from going to Israel.”

The study requested by Eilberg includes a summary of the arrival as experienced by Soviet Jews in Vienna. It shows that since nearly all of the Soviet Jews exit the USSR with visas for Israel, they are met at the railroad station in Vienna by representatives of the Jewish Agency. “Insofar as is known, no other organization in Vienna has knowledge as to who or how many people are coming,” the report states.

Those Soviet Jews heading for Israel are immediately processed for transportation. Those who want to go elsewhere, such as the United States, Canada or Australia, are sent to a nearby hotel for further interviews by the Jewish Agency. “The Jewish Agency discusses reasons why the Soviet Jews should continue on to Israel, and makes an effort to explain the benefits awaiting them in Israel, such as housing, job assistance, language courses, etc.,” the report states.

It explains: “Since most of the Soviet Jews have already made up their minds about going to places other than Israel, they maintain their decision.” But the process of explaining the benefits of resettling in Israel has not yet ended, the report to Eilberg says, “because a staff member of the Jewish Agency has an office in the HIAS office, and a final discussion is held with the Soviet Jew and his family in an additional effort to have them make use of their visas for Israel.” Only when this effort is exhausted is the Soviet Jew referred to HIAS.

“There is no point in the procedure where HIAS becomes involved with the Soviet Jew until he is actually referred to HIAS,” the study made for Eilberg shows. The Congressman said the report confirms information he has received from personal inspections of the resettlement process and facilities.

Instead of pointing the finger at HIAS,” Eilberg said in releasing the report, “we have to look at the many other factors which play a role in the decision that some Soviet Jews make to turn to the United States rather than to Israel. They are continually bombarded with anti-Israeli propaganda by the Soviet government, and they are influenced by the fact that increasing numbers of them have relatives here in the United States.”