Jewish Submarine Commander in Russia Decorated by U.S. General

Captain Israel Fisanovitch, noted Jewish submarine commander of the Red Fleet, who destroyed many German raiders which were attempting to intercept American and British convoys to Russia, has received an American decoration, it was disclosed here today when a photograph of a U. S. general awarding him the decoration was placed on exhibition at the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee.

Other photos at the exhibition show the active participation of the Jews in the U.S.S.R. at the battle fronts and on the home front. Many photos show mass-graves of Jews executed by the Germans and bodies of Jewish men and women hanged by the Nazi troops in occupied cities and townships in the Ukraine and Byelorussia. The exhibition includes also pictures showing the receptions given by Jews in the United States and Canada to Prof. Solomon Mikhoels and Lt. Col. Itzik Feffer when they visited these countries as a Jewish cultural delegation from Russia.

Graphs displayed at the exhibition show that 32,000 Jews are among the 1,500,000 soldiers and officers of the Russian Army decorated for bravery. Jews occupy fourth place among the various nationalities in the U.S.S.R. which have distinguished themselves at the front. The graphs also show that Jews are third among the 900 fighters who have been given the “Hero of the Soviet Union” award, which is one of the highest Russian military decorations.

JEWISH WAR-ORPHANS WILL BE REARED IN BIRO-BIDJAN

The exhibition was arranged in connection with the third annual convention of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee, which was attended by 150 delegates from all parts of the U.S.S.R. as well as from Jewish refugee groups who escaped from Vilna, Cracow and Lwow. The convention concluded with the sending of a letter of thanks to Marshal Stalin “for saving 3,000,000 Jews” from the Nazis and with the election of new executive officers.

Speaking in behalf of the Jews of Biro-Bidjan, delegate M. Kushnir disclosed that this year the Jewish autonomous region will adopt 3,000 Jewish war orphans whose parents have been killed by the Germans. “Next year we may adopt even a larger number,” he said. He also revealed that there is a possibility that Biro-Bidjan may soon be opened to general Jewish immigration. “Such immigration did not and could not take place during the past years,” he declared.

It was revealed at the convention that the well-known and much-decorated General Jacob Kreiser, who is one of the leaders of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee, could not attend the convention, “because he is one of the generals new at work clearing the Germans out of the Crimea.” Shakhno Epstein, general secretary of the Committee, addressing the closing session, estimated that 35,000 Jews are now fighting in the ranks of Marshal Tito against the Nazis in Yugoslavia.