Soviet Emigre Hopes for Bright Day

Mrs. Rita Gluzman, the Soviet Jewish emigre who is here to seek international aid to effect her husband’s departure from the USSR, said today that there was still hope of success despite the “terrible tragedy” that has befallen her family. “I am sure that one bright day, Soviet authorities will be forced to open their doors to Jewish emigration,” she told more than 40 women–mostly teenaged girls–who braved chilly winds to gather at the Isaiah Wall opposite the United Nations to hear Mrs. Gluzman and distribute artificial white roses symbolizing women’s suffering.

The emigre’s husband, who like her is 23, was to leave the USSR with her two years ago, but was detained by the authorities without explanation. The couple’s first child, a son, was born in Israel half a year later. Mrs. Gluzman told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency before her brief speech that she had received encouragement from Mrs. Rita E. Hauser, the US representative on the UN Commission on Human Rights, and from Richard E. Combs Jr., a political aide to US Ambassador George Bush. Mrs. Gluzman had earlier been introduced to Secretary General Thant by Israeli Ambassador Yosef Tekoah.

The attractive emigre told the JTA that she had spoken with her husband by telephone Saturday, and that he had told her he had been forced to go to Moscow, where he had to sleep in the snowy streets for lack of shelter. Her husband is now in Khotin, the Ukraine, working as a carpenter, and has been promised that a decision on his emigration application will be disclosed by month’s end.

Today’s rally was sponsored by the Greater New York Conference on Soviet Jewry. The roses were fashioned during the summer by students in Long Island day schools. Malcolm Hoenlein, director of the Conference, introduced Mrs. Gluzman and reported that he had learned this morning that five Jewish families holding exit visas had been detained as they sought to leave Russia for Austria.