Earlier rumors that the Russian secret police had compelled a number of leading Ukrainian rabbis to sign a statement denying that the Jewish religion is persecuted have now been confirmed. The declaration was signed by Rabbi Friedman of Odessa. Rabbi Greenpress of Poltava, Rabbi Tumarkin of Charkov, Rabbi Rosin of Cherson and several others.
At the last minute, however, the secret police decided not to publish the statement because it had become known abroad that the signatures were obtained under duress. The police then sent for the leaders of the Charkov Jewish community and demanded to know how it had become known outside of Russia that the rabbis had been forced to sign a declaration.
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