The Israeli Students Organization was disclosed today to have airmailed 100 matzoth parcels to the Soviet Union, addressed to “Rabbi Levine, Moscow Synagogue.” Rabbi Yehuda Leib Levine is Chief Rabbi of Moscow and he announced two weeks ago that for a second year the state bakeries would not bake matzoth for Russian Jews.
The students acted on their own initiative and did not consult any officials. A protest meeting was held against the Soviet matzoh ban and the meeting sent a letter of protest to the Human Rights Commission meeting in Geneva.
Chief Rabbi Nissim said today: “We cannot disregard the plight of a large sector of people who are prevented from observing their faith and religion. We want our Russian brethren to know that we made all efforts to send them matzoth for the festival but were unsuccessful and we share their deep spiritual grief. “
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