Shmuel Ashkenazi, a young Israeli violinist, won second place in the Tchaikovsky contest just concluded at Moscow but, in spite of being an honored guest of the Soviet Union, was not permitted by the Russian censors to talk about the subject of matzobs, it was learned here today.
The story was told by the evening newspaper Maariv. A reporter for Maariv placed a telephone call to Moscow to interview Ashkenazi. The Israeli musician mentioned that he had been the guest of the Israeli Embassy at Moscow for the Passover seder. Since Soviet authorities had severely restricted the use of matzohs this year, by banning the baking of matzohs in state factories, Ashkenazi was asked where the matzohs at the Embassy’s seder has been obtained. At that point, the Russian censor cut the telephone conversation.
Later, when Maariv placed a second telephone call, the conversation went on uninterrupted since the subject of matzohs was not mentioned. Ashkenazi said he had been invited to play as soloist by the philharmonic orchestras of Moscow and Leningrad.
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