The situation of the Jews in Eastern Europe was discussed here today by members of the World Jewish Congress executive following the formal close of the executive’s session here. Jewish leaders from various communities throughout the world expressed the fear that a distinctive Jewish life would disappear in the Soviet Union in this generation unless there was a modification of the present Soviet policy toward Jewish life.
Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the WJC, said later that the views expressed at the meeting reflected the deep anxiety of Jewish communities throughout the world about the future of Judaism and any kind of autonomous Jewish life in the USSR. The absence of an organized Jewish community and the total disappearance of Jewish schools, periodicals, publishing houses, theatres and every kind of Jewish institution other than a few isolated synagogues, he added, showed that the 2,000,000 Jews of Soviet Russia were at a grave disadvantage in comparison with virtually every other religious or ethnic group in the effort to preserve their distinctive traditions.
All this, Dr. Goldmann noted, had nothing to do with the diplomatic struggle that has now divided the world. The Congress was asking for the same collective rights for Soviet Jews as are accorded their fellow citizens. The WJC could not shirk its duty to bring this to the notice of the Soviet Government.
Turning to other states within the Soviet orbit, Dr. Goldmann said the situation differed in degree from country to country. In all of them some form of organized Jewish life, religious or cultural, persisted. Bulgaria consistently, and the others intermittently, had permitted in special circumstance the emigration of their Jewish population to Israel. Every effort must be made to insure that recognition of this right is extended.
Meanwhile, Dr. Goldmann stressed, the WJC remained open to these Jewish communities on the same condition as to all others. The Congress recognized no political barriers to organized units of all Jews prepared to save the common interests and ideals of the Jewish people, he concluded.
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