For the first time in Soviet history, reports on the activities of Israeli municipalities in the fields of education and health were presented to a Soviet-sponsored conclave, it was reported here today from Leningrad, where the parley which ended yesterday, was held. Israel was represented by a delegation from Tel Aviv and Nathanya at a Twin Cities Congress which was attended by 500 delegates from 40 countries. The Israelis took an active part in the proceedings. Speaking at the opening session, Nathanya Mayor Oved Ben Ami, head of the Israeli delegation, spoke first in Hebrew, then continued in English. In the Hebrew portion, the Mayor referred to Russian Jews as “brethren, so close to us and yet so far from us.” The report on Israeli city education and health services was presented by A. Borstein, Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv.
Members of the Israeli delegation attended Sabbath services in the Leningrad Synagogue, and also in the Moscow Synagogue when they visited the capital. During the Moscow Synagogue services, the traditional Mi Shebeirach blessing was pronounced for both the president of the Soviet Union and the president of Israel, at the suggestion of Mayor Ben Ami.
Members of the delegation met with members of other delegations, including that of Tunisia, for friendly informal talks. One of those talks took place between Mayor Ben Ami and Mayor Yssayev of Leningrad. The Israeli mayor suggested an exchange of street names between Leningrad and Nathanya, an idea that seemed to appeal to the Leningrad mayor.
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.
