Mass Rally in Philadelphia Protests Soviet Anti-jewish Policy

A three-faith rally to protest Soviet discriminations against Russian Jewry heard an appeal here today from a Jewish leader to Soviet authorities either to remove the Soviet disabilities on Jews or to allow them to emigrate.

The appeal was voiced by Philip M. Klutznick, former U. S. Ambassador to the United Nations and former president of B’nai B’ rith. The rally, attended by Catholic, Protestant and Jewish participants, white and Negro, was sponsored by the Greater Philadelphia, Committee to Protest Soviet Anti-Semitism. Robert K. Greenfield, president of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Philadelphia, was chairman.

The rally adopted a resolution protesting the plight of Soviet Jewry and arranged for a delegation to formally present the resolution to officials in Soviet Embassies in Washington and New York. The delegation also will call on the U. S. State Department, the White House and the United Nations to seek support for pressures on the Soviet Union for full equality and security for Russian Jews.

What critics of Soviet policy ask, Mr. Klutznick said, is that the Soviet Union carry out, in regard to its Jewish citizens, its constitutional ban on discrimination practices, its adherence to the University Declaration of Human Rights, and its claim to be a defender of persons oppressed by colonial rule. He added that if Soviet officials found the deference of the Jews to religion was a problem beyond solution in an atheistic society, the “practices, answer” was to “let the people go, ” as the Czars of Russia did. He noted that countries in the Soviet bloc have done so but usually “the Soviet Union denies this right.”

Others participating in the program were the Rev. Herbert G. Gerhart, president of the Greater Philadelphia Council of Churches, the Rev. Francis X. Wahl, of Old St, Mary’s Church, Rabbi David M. Wachfogel, chairman of the World Jewish Affairs Committee of the Greater Philadelphia Board of Rabbis, and Rev. Henry H. Nichols, pastor of the Janes Memorial Methodist Church. Lt. Gov. Raymond P. Shafer and Mayor James H. Tate of Philadelphia, also took part.