The tragic experiences of an old Russian Zionist in trying to smuggle himself out of Russia so as to get to Palestine where his daughter is now living were revealed today with his arrest by the Chinese authorities here on a charge of espionage. After successfully making his way across the Russo-Chinese frontier three years ago, his inability to obtain a visa and his lack of funds for continuing his journey impelled him to return to Russia. As he was crossing the border he was arrested by Chinese frontier guards and held as a spy.
The aged Zionist who took such desperate chances to reach Palestine is Nathan Razumovsky, a native of Yelisovetgrad. Until 1917 he was editor of the Zionist paper, “Vestnik Siberskich Yevreyev,” which was published in Tomsk. Three years ago he decided to reach Palestine by way of China. For three years he suffered hunger and privations in various parts of China hoping from day to day to obtain a visa to Palestine.
When all his efforts proved futile he decided to return to Russia, walking 86 kilometres to the Manchurian-Russian frontier where he was stopped by Chinese frontier guards and brought to Chinese military headquarters charged with espionage. The Jewish community of Harbin and old friends of his are seeking to have him released but their efforts have thus far been unsuccessful.
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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.
