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invoked as a means of settling many
incoming Jews onto producing farms,
since many of the immigrants had no
money to buy a farm or set themselves
up in business. The Kibbutzim were not
intended to be an idealized Communist
experiment to show the virtues of Bol–
shevism. Furthermore, no one in Israel
has ever been forced to join a Kibbutz.
There is individual freedom. Many do
not realize that the majority of farms
in
Israel are
not
the collective Kibbutzim,
but are
Moshavim,
where the land
is
farmed
privalely.
The Soviets were also unaware of the
very strong inclination of the Israel í
people toward democracy. This led to
strong ties with the democratic nations
of the West, including Britain .
Consequently, the newly founded
Russo-Israeli relations were doomed to
failure from the start, and the Russians
finaJly carne to realize that the Israelis
would not serve as a tool for Communist
expansion into the Middle East.
Results of the Six-Day War
Realizing they had little to gain from
Israel, the Soviets in 1953 carne to the
decision it would be far more preferable
to favor the Arab side in the Middle
East conflict. This support became total
when Russia demanded Israeli with–
drawal from the Sinai península in
1956.
It
culminated finally in the total
break in diplomatic relations during the
start of the Six-Day War in 1967.
But, while diplomatic relations
between the Soviet Union and Israel
were ended, an interesting relationship
between the Jews of Russia and Israel
was just starting. The Russian Jews had
just seen ( despite the di storted Russiao
news accounts) tiny Israel stand up to
the combined might of the Arab world
and Russia (their major backer), and
what's more - the Israelis had suc–
ceeded!
In Russia this led to an awakening
and a new hope on the part of Russian
Jews totally unheard of before. Syoa–
gogue attendance increased. Sorne took
the liberty of writing to the Israelí gov–
ernmeot and to the United Nations
pleading for help. Still others went so
far as actually to petition the Soviet
government for exit visas. And sorne
people wcre even granted them!
Seeking World Support
The Brussels confcrence was called
not so much because of the plight of
Soviet Jewry as in response to the
efforts of the Russian Jews themselves.
One major purpose of the conference
was to show Russian Jews that their
brethren around the world totally sup–
ported them.
It
was further hoped that
the governments of the Western democ–
racies would lend their support to the
cause of minority groups behind the
Iron Curtain.
Many have wondered,
why
just the
Jews? Aren't all religions persecuted in
Soviet Russi a? Many people have felt
this to be the case. Inasmuch as Russia
is a Communist country and Com–
munism officially professes atheism,
being a member of
any
church group
could be a detriment to anyone
wishing to participate in govern–
ment or politics. However, many have
not realized that apart from this restric–
tion, the various religions are allowed
to function rather freely in the Soviet
Union. This is true as long as they do
Arthur Goldberg, former U. S.
Ambossador to the United Na–
tions addresses world conference
discussing problems of Soviet
Jews (extreme left, right center).
Other scenes show demonstrators
in london.
J.mbossodor
Collogo Pholos,
Wide World
(extremo
right)
not cnllctze the government. Freedom
to practice religion is guaranteed by the
Soviet constitution.
What the organizers of the Brussels
conference wanted to point out is that
the Jews have been consistently denied
the same privileges that other religious
groups are granted.
For example, since 1917, Jews have
been forbidden to publish the Hebrew
Bible either in the original or in a Rus–
sian translation, while other denomina–
tions have regularly been permitted to
print Bibles and other religious mate–
rial. Neither are the Jews allowed to
maintain schools for the training of
religious personnel, though other reli–
gions are allowed this privilege. Nor are
Jewish theologians allowed to study
abroad or attend international gather–
ings of Jewish religious leaders.
Both of these concessions, too, are
granted to the members of other reli–
gious bodies. There are a number of
Russian groups that are members of the
World Council of Churches.
Cultural Attrition
So vast a nation as the Soviet Union
contains many national, ethnic groups.
The Soviet Union is considered to be a
conglomerate of all of them, with each
national group guaranteed the freedom
of cultural expression and development