A Soviet decree, published today, restored the full civic rights of Jewish clergymen, cantors, sextons and individual artisans formerly deprived of all rights as enemies of the government. The rights of Christian clergymen were also restored.
By virtue of the decree, the declassed Jews will be able to obtain bread cards, vote in Soviet elections, and will be enabled to send their children to high schools and universities.
Thousands of declassed Jews will be affected by the decree, which means an improved living standard and better conditions for them. In addition, the stigma of belonging to the “former people” will be removed and the doors to a higher education opened to the children of the declassed.
The decree is believed to mark the end of the harsh treatment accorded officials of religious groups in the Soviet Union and indicates that the Soviet government now feels itself so firmly established that it can be lenient with those not sympathetic to the regime.
Millions of Russians, disfranchised as enemies of the regime have, in recent months, been granted amnesty and had their citizenship rights restored.
Some 65,000 Russian Jews have in recent years been rehabilitated through the efforts of the People’s ORT Federation, it was said here yesterday. Over 25,000 Jews are at present in cooperative agricultural colonies under ORT supervision while 40,000 have been absorbed into Soviet industry, after preliminary training in Ort workshops. The organization estimates the number of declassed still left at approximately 75,000.
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.
