Chanukah lights were kindled at the Wailing Wall tonight as delegations from all parts of Israel continued to arrive to demonstrate solidarity with Jews on trial in Russia. One group has been maintaining a vigil of fasting and prayer at the shrine since the trial of Jews began in Leningrad Dec. 15. Today’s most prominent visitor was President Zalman Shazar who told the fasters, “You can be proud of having drawn world public opinion to the plight of Jews in Russia. Minister for Religious Affairs Zerach Warhaftig conducted the candle-lighting. Earlier some 4000 youngsters demonstrated in the Wailing Wall compound. A five-bus convoy of scientists and staff members of the Weizmann Institute of Science came from Rehovoth this morning. Israel’s “Youth Parliament” set up “information teams” to contact the 140 youth parliaments abroad to acquaint them with the situation of Russian Jewry. The Israel Medical Association sent a letter of encouragement to the fasters and a delegation from the Kibbutz movement visited them today. Former Knesset Speaker Kaddish Luz brought greetings from the Jordan Valley settlements. In Tel Aviv today, a group of demonstrators staged a sit-down in front of the Finnish Embassy which handles Soviet affairs in Israel.
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.
