Washington Synagogue ‘adopts’ Leningrad Synagogue; Symbolic Act of Identification

The Bnai Israel Synagogue here has “adopted” the Leningrad Synagogue and has sent it a large brass Chanuka Menorah as a symbol of identification with that Russian congregation. Letters in the Russian and Yiddish languages also have been sent to the Leningrad synagogue for delivery prior to the “Feast of Lights” which begins on December 23. The letters are signed by William Mazie, president of the Conservative congregation and Rabbis Henry Segal and Melvin Libman, spiritual leaders of the synagogue. Bert Silver, chairman of the congregations’ social action committee, said that he sent the two letters by registered U.S. Air Mail yesterday and that he airmailed the Menorah by U.S. Parcel Post today. They were all addressed, he said, to “Rabbi Lubanov, Jewish Synagogue, No. W Lermantovsky Prospect, Leningrad, USSR.” Rabbi Segal told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that “By this means, the congregation wishes to symbolize its identification with the life of our brothers in Leningrad and the Soviet Union and to express its hopes and prayers that our Jewish brethren will enjoy religious and cultural freedom.”