Rabbi Avi Weiss, released Thursday from jail for demonstrating in front of the Soviet Embassy here, said his imprisonment was “humiliating” and “dehumanizing.”
Weiss, speaking at a press conference here attended by Natan Sharansky’s mother, Ida Milgrom, and his brother, Leonid, said his jail term was “insignificant” compared to what Soviet Jews had suffered.
Weiss, who recently had bypass heart surgery, was permitted to stay in a cell in the jail’s infirmary where he was segregated from other prisoners. He was visited by Rep. Ted Weiss (D. NY).
“I think jail is a way to try to strip you of your worship of God. It’s a way for other people to control you and dehumanize you. You take off your clothes and six people come around to look at you. It’s much more than just a strip search,” Weiss said.
Weiss said he hoped to organize massive arrests in protest of Soviet Jews.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
