The opening of the first congress of Soviets in Biro-Bidjan, autonomous Jewish district created by the Russian government, will be hailed Tuesday night at a mass meeting and concert at St. Nicholas Palace, Sixty-sixth street near Broadway, under the auspices of ICOR, the association for Jewish colonization in the Soviet Union.
At the Biro-Bidjan congress the first government of the district will be elected, ICOR announced yesterday. Jewish organizations here will gather at St. Nicholas Palace in a demonstration of their approval of the policy of Moscow in making the settlement of Jews in Biro-Bidjan a reality.
A list of notables will participate, including Yoichi Hiraoka, Japanese xylophonist; Victor Chenkin, renowned vocalist; and Peretz Hirshbein, Professor Alfons Goldschmidt, Reuben Brainin, Rabbi Benjamin Goldstein, Anna Cohen, Louis Hyman, J. Opatashu and M. Olgin.
MANY CITIES JOIN FETE
Artef, the Jewish Workers Theatre and the Freiheit Chorus are also on the program. The former group will present “Shetl Tantz” and mass recitations, while the singers will render workers’, Russian and Biro-Bidjan airs.
“The great day of December 11 will be celebrated throughout the world,” Icor announced, adding that 5,000 are expected to turn out for the local celebration alone.
Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Grand Rapids, Mich., and Rock Island, III., have already scheduled observances of the event, but these will not occur Tuesday. Pittsburgh starts today and, according to information available yesterday, Chicago will bring up the rear, with the celebration in that city not due until December 23. Events will be held in the Soviet Union, as here, Tuesday.
Besides the Biro-Bidjan local representatives who will attend the congress, delegates from all the republics comprising the Soviet Union as well as representatives of Jewish organizations from many countries will take part. After the congress the Jewish people will participate in the Russian government as a separate national entity.
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