Moscow’s Chief Rabbi Yehuda Leib Levin has informed Rabbi Bernard A. Poupko, here, that all “necessary preparations” have been completed in the Soviet capital for the printing of a Hebrew prayer book, and that “we hope, please God, that, within several months, the Siddur will make its appearance.”
The statement was contained in a letter from Chief Rabbi Levin to Dr. Poupko, chairman of the Rabbinical Board of Greater Pittsburgh, in response to one sent by Rabbi Poupko to the Moscow Jewish leader. In his letter, Rabbi Poupko also expressed himself as puzzled by the reason why Jews who ordered matzoh baked for them by the Moscow Central Synagogue, for last Passover, should have been forced to register their names and addresses. On this point, Chief Rabbi Levin replied: “I wish to inform you that this is absolutely not true. There was no obligation whatsoever for any person who came to bake matzoh to register his name.”
Another question asked by Rabbi Poupko concerned the promised reopening of the yeshiva in Moscow. Chief Rabbi Levin’s reply did not mention that subject.
Rabbi Poupko had invited the chief rabbi to attend the annual convention of the Rabbinical Council of America, to be held in the middle of June. Chief Rabbi Levin replied in his letter — typewritten in Hebrew — that the possibility of this visit is, much to my regret, remote. The years claim theirs, and I have no strength to travel a distance even within my own country in which I reside, and especially far away from my residence.”
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