The National Conference on Soviet Jewry and the Greater New York Conference on Soviet Jewry announced today that the fourth annual National Solidarity Day for Soviet Jews will be held Sunday, April 15. Stanley H. Lowell, chairman of the National Conference, said that in addition to major public events in New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, Los Angeles and 80 other cities across the country, there will also be observances in several other countries.
Eugene Gold, chairman of the Greater New York Conference said the New York observance will start with a “Freedom March” down Fifth Avenue to Dag Hammarskjold Plaza across from the United Nations where a mass rally will be held.
Lowell said the reason for the international observance is that “despite Soviet claims that there are ‘no problems’ in regard to the freedom to leave, the emigration of Soviet Jews decreased during the past year Potential emigrants are still subject to arbitrary and punitive decisions by Soviet officials and Soviet Jews continue to be incarcerated in labor camps because they actively seek their right to go to Israel. Since harassment has increased, many Soviet Jews are subjected to intimidation by the sight of their neighbors being arrested and imprisoned.”
EMIGRATION RATE IN THREE-YEAR LOW
Gold noted that “both Moscow and Washington as well as Soviet Jews will be watching closely our response.” He pointed out that in December the emigration rate dropped to a three-year low and during 1974 there was a 40 percent decrease from the previous year. “Equally distressing.” Gold said, “is that all signs clearly indicate that Moscow will reduce the flow of Jews out of the USSR even more in 1975.” He noted that only 1250 Jews were reportedly able to leave the Soviet Union in January.
“Our goal on Solidarity Day will be manifold.” Lowell stressed. “We must demonstrate to Soviet Jews, to Soviet officials and to the world that the cause of Soviet Jews is one in which all Americans are still joined, as a commitment to freedom.”
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
