Leaders of Poland’s Jewish Community in Israel for Six-day Convention

Three leaders of the Jewish community in Poland arrived yesterday in Israel to participate in the Fourth Congress of the World Federation of Polish Jews which convened today in Tel Aviv. It is the first time since Poland severed diplomatic relations with Israel in 1967 that an official Polish delegation has come to Israel.

The three are Shimon Schormei, director of the Yiddish Theater of Warsaw; Moshe Finkelstein, representative of the Jewish community in Vroslav, and Avraham Kwartka, deputy editor of the Yiddish weekly “Volksstimme.” Finkelstein told reporters that there were still some 10,000-15,000 Jews in Poland, most of whom are over the age of 60.” There is no more anti-Semitism in Poland, because the Jews have become invisible,” Finkelstein said.

Finkelstein was in Israel 15 years ago, but the other two have never been here. Schormei told reporters they did not face any difficulties when they asked to go to Israel. He said there were 35 actors in his group performing three times weekly.

Hundreds of delegates from 14 countries have arrived for the six-day congress. The participants are scheduled to discuss primarily the current negotiations with the Polish authorities for compensation for Jewish public property nationalized by Poland. This property is estimated at millions of dollars.