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French Jewish Leader Leaves for Moscow with Recommendations on Jews

January 25, 1961
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Andre Blumel, a French Zionist leader who is a controversial figure on issues of relations with the Soviet Union, left today on his second visit to Moscow to discuss the situation of Soviet Jews with Soviet officials.

M. Blumel was scheduled to meet with key officials, including Madame Y. A. Furtzeva, Minister of Culture, with whom he will try to intercede for improvement of the cultural situation of Soviet Jews. He planned particularly to try to obtain approval from Madame Furtzeva for publication and distribution of a weekly in Yiddish and establishment of a Yiddish theatrical troupe to tour the Soviet Union.

Renewed interest in the situation of Russian Jewry was spurred by a conference in Paris last September which was reported to have led various left-wing organizations in Western Europe to impress upon Soviet officials the need to alleviate the heavy discrimination barring the way to Jewish cultural and religious emancipation.

Daniel Mayer, president of the League for the Rights of Man, who served as chairman for the Paris conference, is scheduled to leave for Moscow sometime in March.

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