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Soviet Jewish Women Plead for Help for Imprisoned Relatives

June 2, 1972
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Addressing the Executive Committee of the National Women’s League of the United Synagogue of America, two Soviet Jewish women, who are recent emigres to Israel, appealed for help “to let the Soviet Union know that the whole world is aware of their injustices.” Mrs. Serafima Kaminsky, whose husband Lassal is in a Soviet jail serving a five-year sentence, said that he was imprisoned on charges of “anti-Soviet activity” simply because he had studied Hebrew and Jewish history, and printed a Hebrew textbook.

Mrs. Mindl Weinger, the sister-in-law of David Chernoglaz who is also in jail, said that the Soviet government could not break the spirit of those incarcerated. She explained that the Soviets were conducting the trials against Jews in the hopes of frightening them.

Mrs. Henry N. Rapaport, president of the National Women’s League, spoke of the success her organization had had in training 5200 women leaders during the League’s branch conferences held between April and June. “When we point up the evils of drug abuse, the reasons for lack of communication between the generations, and show the way to building a stronger Jewish family unit, then our women sit up and take notice,” she said.

The branch conferences train women we are then responsible for the programming and organizational tasks of sisterhoods throughout the North American continent.

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