Letters received here from White Russia report that the persecution of clericals has begun on a colossal scale. Those expelled from their houses are wandering about and sleeping in the streets because their homes have been nationalized and they are unable to obtain any shelter. The Bobrusk soviet informed a delegation of clericals begging assistance that “the river is not yet frozen,” meaning “go drown yourselves.”
The Klimowitsher rabbi has been sentenced to six months in prison because he is unable to pay his taxes. All rabbis have left the Witebsk district as a result of the continued persecution.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
