Moscow’s Central Synagogue, the principal Jewish house of worship in the entire Soviet Union, was jammed with more than 1, 000 persons for the Rosh Hashanah services yesterday, while hundreds of other Jews crowded the street outside the synagogue, according to dispatches from Moscow received here today. The majority of the worshipers were reported to be over the age of 50.
Seated in a special section near the Ark, separated from the rest of the congregation, was Israel’s Ambassador to the Soviet Union, Arieh Harel. With him were his young son and several other male members of Israel’s mission here.
Ambassador Harel said he had contemplated staying away from the synagogue in protest against being thus separated from the rest of the worshipers. However, he changed his mind and did come. Chief Rabbi Yehuda L. Levine said the special section allocated to the Israeli Ambassador had been built to honor foreign visitors, and not to isolate them. The lack of Rosh Hashanah prayer books was especially noticed during the services in the synagogue, which is the largest in the Soviet Union.
(A special Rosh Hashanah radio program beamed to Jews in the Soviet Union was broadcast by Radio Liberty, the American-sponsored radio station which broadcasts in 18 languages of the Soviet Union from transmitters in Western Europe and the Far East. The program urged Russia’s 3, 000, 000 Jews to hearken to their spiritual heritage.)
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