World-wide reaction in the form of demonstrations and condemnation of recent attacks on Russian Jews may be the only effective measure to prevent pogroms in the Soviet Union according to Yehezkel Polarowitz, chairman of the Assirei Zion, an organization dedicated to helping Russian Jews imprisoned for Zionist activities.
Polarowitz said at a meeting last night that unless energetic steps are taken to rally public opinion in reaction to recent attacks on Jews going to synagogues in Russian cities, “we may face the renewal of pogroms.” Polarowitz claimed that the attacks were “feelers” by the Soviet authorities to test reaction. “Should there be no reaction, the authorities would give the green light to extremist elements to hit the Jews,” he said. He said that the eve of President Nixon’s visit to Moscow was the opportune time “to sound all the alarm bells” on this issue.
In recent weeks Jews have been arrested in Kiev for congregating outside their synagogue on the Sabbath and several have been warned they would be sentenced to one-year prison terms if they returned. On Passover eve Soviet police reportedly prevented an overflow crowd from entering the synagogue there and several persons beaten and arrested and released after interrogation.
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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.
