Vladimir Slepak, a Soviet Jewish activist who has been trying for several years to get permission to leave the Soviet Union, told a radio audience here last night, via a telephone call from Moscow, that it is now very difficult for Moscow Jews to get exit visas. He said only one or two visas are granted each month to Muscovite Jews, though many want to emigrate. The call was initiated by Slepak’s friend, Abraham Shifrin, a 47-year-old wood sculptor who left Russia for Israel a year ago. Shifrin was a guest on “the Bernie Herman Show,” broadcast over WCAU-AM.
During the program, the 37-year-old Slepak, who speaks English, said he was glad to hear from Shifrin and that each call, each letter and each postcard “helps us to leave and to be strong.” When Shifman asked about his own 24-year-old daughter, Larisa, who was not allowed to leave Russia with him and is still in Moscow, Slepak said she is waiting for permission to emigrate. Slepak also said that Sylva Zalmanson Kuznetsov, now serving a 10-year prison sentence, is very sick.
Slepak did, however, have some good news. He said that another prominent Jewish activist. Alexander Patlach, a 35-year old dentist, has been granted permission to leave for Israel with his family, Shifman told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency today that he believes that Patlach, who has been trying to get a visa for more than five years, was finally granted one because he has been very active recently, openly criticizing the government and communicating with people abroad, Shifman said there is speculation that Soviet authorities have refused to give Slepack, an engineer and former physicist, a visa because he used to work on secret government science projects.
Shifman, who had been a lawyer, was arrested for Zionist activities during the early 1950’s and was sentenced to death. The sentence was commuted to 25 years in prison and he was released in 1963 after serving 10 years. He was prohibited from practicing law after his release. He developed gangrene in his right leg while in a damp prison camp and it had to be amputated. He is visiting the United States on behalf of Maoz (Fortress), an Israeli organization of recently arrived Soviet emigrees. Shifman’s appearance on the radio program was arranged by the Philadelphia Council for Soviet Jewry.
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.
