Dr. Joachim Prinz, national president of the American Jewish Congress, urged the Soviet Government today to invite a representative committee of American Jewish leaders to visit the Soviet Union for a study of Jewish life in that country. The AJC leader told a press conference here that he hoped the idea of such a study mission might be agreed on at a meeting with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev which U.S, Jewish organizations are attempting to arrange. Dr. Prinz expressed doubt, however, about the chances of scheduling such a meeting.
The purpose of the study mission would be to ascertain facts and figures concerning facilities in the Soviet Union for religious worship and to inaugurate friendly relationships between American Jews and Soviet Jewish personalities. They would also recommend ways and means of enhancing Jewish religious and cultural life in the Soviet Union.
“We seek for Russia’s Jews only those cultural facilities which other nationality groups in the USSR have been granted and only those opportunities for religious life which other religious groups are permitted under the Soviet Constitution, ” Dr. Prinz declared.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.