Malice-in-wonderland

Before he was expelled from Russia by Soviet authorities last month, Irving Silverman learned during his short visit there that there is “remarkable sympathy” amongst Soviet non-Jews for their Jewish countrymen who want to emigrate. He also discovered that “surprisingly, many Soviet citizens are willing to talk”; that Soviet Jews seek accurate information about Israel; and that not all Soviet Jews want to leave Russia. Discussing his trip to Russia and the circumstances of his expulsion. Silverman, the 51-year-old associate chairman of the Long Island Committee for Soviet Jewry. Indicated that whereas he travels abroad in order to interact with foreigners and ascertain their aspirations for the future, Soviet authorities apparently prefer that visitors to Russia confine themselves to past history as displayed in museums. For after 16 days of a scheduled 20-day trip there, he and Leonard Schuster, a member of the Greater Philadelphia Council on Soviet Jewry, were suddenly and swiftly expelled. According to the authorities. Silverman told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, the members of a Kiev synagogue protested that the two Americans had insulted them with fabrications about Jews not being free and equal in Russia and with suggestions that they leave Russia for Israel.

“I’m so damn indignant at what they did.” said Silverman, who is also a vice-president of the United Synagogue of America. “I’m terribly angry that I was asked to leave. It’s the worst frustration of all.” He said he is very annoyed, too, that the Russian authorities refused to accept any response to the charges against him. He was not permitted to confront his accusers–supposedly the Klev Jews–and he was not allowed to appeal the decision to expel him. Silverman says that contrary to the Soviet government’s “lie” that Russians were antagonized by him, he found them anxious to meet him and his wife and talk to them about life in the United States and Israel. Insisting that he did not discuss politics while in Russia. Silverman says hundreds of Russians “came to me” recognizing “that I was not Russian” and initiated conversation. He said they were “glowing” and “proud that I wanted to spend time talking to them.” But he says the Soviet authorities are “not anxious for (foreign) people to talk to their people” because they fear that although they feel they have accomplished much for their citizens, visitors will focus upon the problems still to be solved. Similarly, Silverman implied, because Soviet authorities are afraid that the exodus of many Jews will give a “black eye to the political system,” they brand those Soviet Jews who want to leave “anti-Soviet,” though the Soviet Jews’ desire to emigrate is dictated by primarily non-political personal, human needs.

JEWS LEAVE RUSSIA NOT FOR SAKE OF LEAVING BUT TO GO TO ISRAEL

“Those Jews who wish to leave are not enemies of Russia or traitors.” Silverman observed. “and their involvement with Russian polities is minimal.” Most of them “are not interested in leaving the Soviet Union just to leave the Soviet Union,” he said, “but to go to Israel.” Some of the Soviet Jews interested in moving to Israel did express “some degree of concern over what (their) living conditions would be like” there. Silverman said. The Soviet government has allowed reports to filter back to them that indicate they would not be able to get jobs or apartments and that Israeli life would not be compatible with their tastes. Kol Israel, Israel’s national broadcaster, is “their main source of Jewish news.” Silverman said, “and the battle goes on between what Kol Israel says and what their own press and t.v. tells them.” He said the question often becomes who yells loudest and last, and confusion results since the people “can’t distinguish between fact and propaganda.” Silverman said it is “a mistake to think that all Soviet Jews want to leave.” As a result of Soviet policies, many Soviet Jews have become “so assimilated,” he said, that they have lost all contact with any family outside of Russia and don’t feel any Jewish identity except for the identification on their Soviet identity cards. He said they are “so estranged” from Jewish history and their Jewish heritage that they “don’t know what it is to be Jewish.” And, he said, they “appear reasonably happy in their work and location.”

Noting that Soviet non-Jews sympathize with those Russian Jews who do want to emigrate. Silverman said one Russian non-Jew he spoke with compared the situation of such Soviet Jews to someone forced to play for a soccer team he doesn’t want to play for. The non-Jew said the player should be allowed to join another team. Soviet Jews voluntarily expressed to Silverman their disapproval of violent tactics by those in Western countries who support their aims. He said they encouraged, instead, “peaceful and persistent efforts” to bring the plight of Soviet Jews to the attention of all authorities. Silverman said they “stressed the need for persistent expressions rather than occasional outbursts of concern separated by long pauses.” They feel “the reminder should be daily.” Silverman said. Asked if he considered harassment of Soviet officials in the U.S. a violent tactic, Silverman said harassment in order to communicate with people who refuse to open up normal channels of communication “is not necessarily violent.” He said that “established, responsible Jewish organizations are not interested in violent, damaging or harmful actions against the Soviet government and people.” and when Soviet authorities refuse to discuss the Soviet Jewish situation, they make harassment “necessary.” Now, after returning from the Soviet Union. Silverman feels it is important to record “the day to day efforts of Jews to achieve their release from an oppressive, living situation” and to impress those efforts on the minds of more and more people around the world. Says Silverman. “If the Soviet Jew is not welcome in the Soviet Union, then he should be given the privilege to leave.”