An American Jewish scientist, arriving here from a visit to Leningrad, reported today that Gedalia Pechersky. 75-year-old former head of the Leningrad Jewish community, has been freed from prison after serving four years of a 12-year sentence for “espionage and consorting with foreign agents.”
The arrest of the Leningrad Jewish lay leader and other Jewish leaders four years ago created widespread concern among Jews in the Western world. It was followed by other arrests of lay Jewish leaders in other Soviet cities.
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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.