Dulzin Hails Absorption of Almost 140,000 Soviet Jews in Israel

Of the 170,000 Jews who left the Soviet Union over the last 10 years, more than 135,000 are living in Israel, according to Leon Dulzin, chairman of the World Zionist Organization and Jewish Agency Executives, who addressed the United Jewish Appeal 40th Anniversary National Conference last weekend.

Dulzin pointed out that these Soviet Jews now “have apartments, they have jobs and their children are getting a Jewish education.” He said that there had been many years of discreet activity by Jewish groups in the Soviet Union, which was “intensified” by the Six-Day War.

Despite attempts at suppression by the Soviet authorities in 1970 and 1971, he said, “the Jews proudly continued to campaign in the Soviet Union for their right to go to Israel, their national home-land, with the full support of the State of Israel and many Jewish organizations all over the world.”

Dulzin also said that the mobilization of Jews all over the world on behalf of Soviet Jewry, “was so deep and committed that it had, in fact, brought many of these Jews themselves back to real Judaism and in many cases, to Zionism.” From that point of view, he added, “it could be rightfully claimed that Soviet Jewry has done for us not less than we have done for it.”

WARNS AGAINST SOVIET DROPOUTS

While applauding the successes of efforts on behalf of Soviet Jewry over the years, Dulzin warned against the growing number of Soviet Jewish emigres, “dropouts,” who opt for countries other than Israel once they leave Vienna. Emphasizing that this rising dropout rate represents not only a danger, but “a major calamity,” he indicated that steps were being taken to encourage more of these “noshrim” to go to Israel.

Dulzin added that there is reason to believe that “if we keep up our involvement and concern,” our hopes for expanded Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union will be realized. But he warned against permitting a “glorious movement of Jewish and Zionist resurrection” from dwindling into a “movement of unmotivated immigration.”

Dulzin touched on the much publicized story of Jessica Katz, the 14-month-old daughter of Boris and Natasha Katz who was reported to be suffering from a digestive disorder, emphasizing that the national bodies such as the National Conference on Soviet Jewry, the official spokesman for American Jewry on the subject, had warned the few activist groups in Boston against making exaggerated claims or misrepresenting facts to the public in anything having to do with Soviet Jews. He urged that the Jewish community “learn from our errors. The cause of Soviet Jewry is strong and just and does not need exaggeration.”