Pope Paul VI indicated concern today over recent developments affecting the Jews of the Soviet Union in a private audience with Daniel Neal Heller, national commander of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States, and a JWV delegation.
The Pope informed the Jewish veterans that he would pray for Soviet Jewry, terming them “those poor people.” He indicated, through questions and comments, his awareness of the Russian Jewish problem, and his interest in that situation.
The Pontiff said, in reference to Russian Jews, that “we will pray very hard for them.” He made known that the Vatican was aware of the latest manifestations of bias in the Soviet Union, and of the number of Jews among those affected.
Mr. Heller elicited the Pope’s comments when he commended the Pontiff’s Easter message which called for religious freedom.
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