The Jewish vigil across the street from the Soviet Embassy entered its third year Sunday. It was begun Dec. 10, 1970–Human Rights Day–to protest Soviet treatment of Jews desiring to emigrate and to support Soviet Jews’ rights to live as Jews. The demonstrators meet daily at noon on the steps of the Philip Murray Building, gazing silently for 15 minutes at the Embassy across the street. Numerous prominent non-Jews have joined the vigil occasionally, including the Rev. John Steinbruck, a Lutheran pastor who comes almost every day. The vigil has become a regular stop for tourist buses.
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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.