Russian Godless Start Anti-rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur Drive Two Months in Advance

Although Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur are nearly two months away, the Jewish section of the League of the Godless today began its annual campaign against these high Jewish holidays. Four Yiddish pamphlets came off the press today for distribution among Jewish workers in the towns and cities and Jewish colonists in the agricultural regions.

A special edition of the Apikoires (Atheist), the Yiddish atheist monthly, went to press yesterday, a fortnight ahead of time, in order to make it available for the anti-religious campaign. An extraordinary control commission has been organized to investigate the effect of the campaign among the Jewish artisans and colonists.

The atheists have taken for their slogan this year “Jewish workers, stay away from the synagogue on Rosh Hashonah. Remain at work in field and factory on Yom Kippur in order to help carry out the Five Year Plan.” Special shock brigades will be organized to mobilize the workers for the anti-Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur campaign.

The early start of the drive against the high Jewish holidays is in line with the protest voiced last year by the Yiddish Communist press. The papers complained that it was futile to expect any results from the anti-religious propaganda when it is called into use only twice a year, just before Passover and on the eve of Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur. They pointed out that anti-religious campaigns only on the eve of the holidays achieved an effect opposite from that desired because the Jewish villagers and colonists who might otherwise ignore the holidays are reminded of them by the agitation against them.

It is believed that the League of the Godless has launched its drive against the observance of the Jewish holidays now in an endeavor to overcome this criticism.