Toronto, Philadelphia Focus Spotlight on Soviet Jewish Plight

The Canadian Jewish Congress will hold a “mass solidarity meeting ” in Toronto Nov. 14-15 to reaffirm its “unlimiting efforts for the amelioration of our cruelly oppressed brethren in Russia,” president Monroe Abbey said. “We continue to be appalled.” he told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, by discrimination against Soviet Jews and by the “euphemism” anti-Zionism for a policy of anti-Semitism. (Students representing the Universities Committee on Soviet Jewry picketed the Soviet Embassy in London yesterday and managed to question an Embassy secretary on the condition of Jews in the USSR. They were unable to see the Soviet Ambassador who, they were told, was at a meeting. The Embassy secretary, identified as a Mr. Dyanov, agreed to speak to three of the students and accepted a letter from them. When asked about the reported arrests of Jews in Leningrad, Riga and elsewhere, he replied that he knew only what was published in the Soviet press. Asked whether the detainees would be tried, he said he did not know of any arrests. He Invited the students to return at another time to discuss the matter with him but did not say when he would be free to receive them.)

(Mayor James H. Tate of Philadelphia has declared Sept. 20-Oct. 17 “Soviet Jewry Month” in the City of Brotherly Love. In a City Hall ceremony yesterday, he presented his declaration to executive director Albert Chernin and research-programming director Malcolm Hoenlein of the Jewish Community Relations Council. Mayor Tate scored the “severe restrictions” on Soviet Jews and urged Philadelphians of all faiths to Join the fight against that oppression. As in other cities. “World Day for Soviet Jewry” was marked by a rally here. Upcoming are a memorial service on “Babi Yar Day,” Sept. 29; special prayers on Rosh Hashanah, Oct. 1-2; the National Youth Mobilization for Soviet Jewry. Oct. 10-13 in Washington, D.C., and Simchat Torah rallies, Oct. 17.) (In Jerusalem. It was reported that a 22-year-old Latvian Jew from Riga, Eisik Rosin, wrote to Shimon Peres, Minister of Transport and Posts, complaining that the Latvian Department of Visas had told him he would never be allowed to leave the Soviet Union. In his letter he wrote “I want to be with my people in Israel.” and asked Mr. Peres to “please forward this letter to any international organization capable of helping me.” Mr. Peres was Minister of Immigrant Absorption when the letter was received.)