Existence of Jewish communities in Eastern Europe has been “seriously jeopardized” and many Jewish leaders and rabbis are in personal danger, a conference of Agudas Israel was told here.
The parley, summoned to consider the situation of the Jews in Eastern Europe, was told by H.L. Goodman, political secretary, that the fate of the Jews in Rumania, Hungary and Czechoslovakia hangs in the balance.
With the complete proletarization and nationalization of schools and the closing down of every Jewish representative institution having ties with the west, he said, the survival of these communities is seriously jeopardized. The Jewish communal bodies, he added, have been taken over by the Communists. In some cases, he stated, Jewish leaders and rabbis are in personal danger, as in Slovakia where the president of the Union of Jewish Communities, imprisoned for several months, was released only after payment of a $90,000 ransom.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
