Rigerman Says Spark of Jewishness Can Never Be Extinguished in Soviet Jews

Leonid Rigerman, the Soviet Jew who was granted U.S. citizenship and arrived here on Feb. 20, today stressed the enormity of the action taken by Soviet Jewish activists who staged a sit-in yesterday in the reception room of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet in Moscow. Speaking in near perfect English before an audience of 100 who attended a prayer service at the Park East Synagogue, the yarmulked Rigerman told his listeners that the Soviet people have “learned to read the Soviet Constitution and have learned not to use the rights written in that Constitution.” He added, “even the thoughts of making a demonstration in the Soviet Union could cause a person to disappear.” Continuing, he observed that “Jews can’t ever forget their Jewishness and that spark can’t ever be extinguished.” Referring to the traditional noise made by people during the reading of the Book of Esther when hearing the name of Haman, he said, “We should make the same noise in getting our brothers out of Russia.”

Also addressing the audience was Rabbi Stephen Riskin of the Lincoln Square Synagogue who observed that a lesson could be derived from the events related in the Book of Esther. He pointed out that God’s name is not mentioned even once in the Megillah and stated that perhaps the reason for this is that “there are times when we can rely only on our own strength.” Rabbi Arthur Schneir, spiritual leader of the Park East Synagogue, reminded his listeners “that those Jews whose only guilt was their determination to leave for their homeland and were implicated in the Leningrad 11 trial are now in solitary confinement.” He asked, “What kind of Purim are they celebrating today? What joy is in their hearts today?” He urged the leader in the Kremlin to study the Book of Esther to understand the Jewish mentality. If they would do so, he said, they would learn that like Mordecai, the Jew does not submit to intimidation and is fearless. “We are a stubborn people and stubborn we shall remain.”