The 198 student leaders attending the annual Hillel Summer Institute here adopted a resolution “deploring the brutal and reprehensive treatment of Jewish spectators attending the World University Games in Moscow by Soviet security officers.”
The students, representing 80 B’nai B’rith, Hillel Foundations in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Israel and Australia, said that “the harassment to which these Jews were subjected reveals a shocking absence of the spirit of sportsmanship commonly practiced by civilized nations.”
They said the incidents were “another illustration of the way the Soviets systematically abuse and intimidate their Jewish citizens.” The student leaders added that “the conduct of the Soviet officials raises serious questions about the possible selection of the Soviet Union as the site of the 1980 Olympics.” They urged the Olympics Committee “to take this outrageous conduct under advisement when it meets in Vienna next year to select a site.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
