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Israelite
A Weekly Newspaper for Southern Jewry - EstabMfed 1?8Sic 1
xxxvi
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1061
Moscow Confirms Arrest of
Jewish Leaders in Leningrad
LONDON, (JTA) — The news
that three aged leaders of the
Leningrad Jewish religious com
munity had been arrested and
sentenced to prison last month,
after a secret trial, was confirm
ed this week in cables from
Moscow to London newspapers.
The three leaders were Geda-
lia Pechersky, former lay chair
man of the Jewish Community in
Leningrad, and Dynkin and Kag
anov whose first names were not
learned. The Moscow dispatches
said that the three Jews were
tried on charges of being “secret
agents’’ and conducting “treason
able activities.”
The reports from Moscow re
vealed that the trial took place
from October 9 to 13. Pecher
sky, who is 60 years old, was
sentenced to 12 years imprson-
ment. The other two received
sentences of four years each’on
ly because of their age, the re
ports said. They are both over
70.
According to the confirmatory
reports, some 12,000 young Jews,
plus a six-piece orchestra from
a Leningrad Conservatory, gath
ered around a Leningrad syna
gogue on Simchas Torah, last
October 2, and sang Jewish folk
songs and danced Jewish dances
until midnight Jewish sources
here believe that this massive
demonstration added to the se
verity of the sentences of the
three Jewish leaders.
The Jewish community in Len
ingrad is known for its stubborn
struggle to restore and preserve
Jewish traditions and Pechersky
was in the forefront of that strug
gle, according to the Moscow re
ports. As a result of such ef
forts, he was stripped of his of
ficial position but continued his
fight for Jewish religious rights.
The Board of Deputies of Brit
ish Jews asked about the reports
at the Soviet Embassy here and
an Embassy spokesman denied
any knowledge of the case. The
Board in a statement expressed
“deep concern.”
Sir Barnett Janner, MP, presi
dent of the Board, said he was
“astonished” that the Leningrad
Jewish leaders had apparently
been accused of “consorting with
foreign agents,” whatever “that
meant.” He expressed fears that
the episode was “still another
example of the discriminatory
trend against Jews” in the Soviet
Union.
The New York Times reported
that three Jews in Moscow were
tried on smilar charges and con
victed and sentenced. The Mos
cow trial was said to have taken
place at the same time as the
Leningrad trial. The Times said
that two of the Moscow defend
ants were identified only by
their surnames, Roshai and Gold
berg. The third person was not
identified.
Roshai was described as an
engineer who was arrested dur
ing Stalin’s anti-Jewish campaign
in 1948-49 and to have served
eight years in a forced labor
camp. He was freed in 1955 un
der a general amnesty. In the
June trial, according to the
Times, he was condemned to
four years of forced residence in
exile after the end of a three-
year prison term.
Savannah’s B’ r
Cornerstone 1
XOD
sob’s
Congregation B’nai B’rith Jac
ob, of Savannah, is now well on
its way to complete a $600,000
new synagogue building pro
gram. The president, Mr. Louis
Wexler, announced that the
Cornerstone Laying ceremony
will take place, most appropriate
ly, on Thanksgiving Day, No
vember 23rd, 11:00 a.m., at the
building site. Synagogue, com
munal and civic leaders will
participate in the program to
gether with the Rabbi and Can
tor of the congregation.
B’nai B’rith Jacob, one of the
most influential orthodox syna
gogues in the South, was organ
ized in 1860. For over 100 years
it has preserved the traditions of
Torah Judaism in their richest
and fullest forms. The present
building was erected in 1909 in
the heart of the Jewish residen
tial section of Savannah. This
area is now a business section
and the physical facilities are too
cramped to properly serve the
650 member families. In March
of 1957 a three acre tract of land,
situated in the new residential
area, was purchased for a new
site for the synagogue.
The new building was designed
by architect Michael Hack,
A.I.A.. of Atlanta.
Abraham I. Rosenberg, the
Rabbi of the congregation, de
scribed the plan as follows:
The Sanctuary will contain
1200 seats. These will be divided
by the proper Mechitza (parti
tion) for the separate seating of
the sexes, according to Jewish
law.
“The
ark — oe the focal
fwh^aei'writer™ Nazi Uniforms Found in Wreck
of Private Plane Crash
Caught With Arms
PARIS, (JTA) — The Spanish
Government has reduced the
prison term of Zvi Aldouby, an
Israeli journalist who was sent
enced earlier this year by a
Spanish military court to serve
nine years in prison after he was
arrested on the Franeo-Spanish
border with several loaded re
volvers in his car, it was report
ed here this week.
The Israeli’s sentence was re
duced to 18 months imprison
ment after intervention in Ma
drid by the French attorney
Tixier Vignancourt, who met
last week with the Spanish Min
ister of the Interior. The latter
promised to talk with the Span
ish head of Government, Gen
eral Francisco Franco, concern
ing a possible amnesty which
might facilitate Mr. Aldouby’s
release from prison later this
year.
Morocco Lifts Ban
on Jewish Paper
CASABLANCA, (JTA) — The
Government of Morocco was dis
closed this week to have lifted
a ban on sale in Morocco of the
Jewish publication L’Arche
which has been in effect since
last July. The ban was lifted af
ter various interventions with
Officials by directors of the
publication.
At the same time it was re
vealed that the former Grand
Mufti of Jerusalem paid a three-
day visit to Morocco during
which he discussed with King
Hassan II the “Palestine prob
lem” and Moroccan aid "in the
fight against Zionism.” During
the visit of the ex-Mufti, a colla-
borat with the Nazis in the ex
termination of European Jewry,
Moroccan newspapers, particular
ly those of the dominant Isqiqlal
(Independence) party, devoted
several articles to the Palestine
problem and the Arab refugees.
LOS ANGELES, (JTA) —The
Federal Bureau of Investigation
and California authorities were
reported this week to be investi
gating the Nazi equipment worn
by two men killed in a moun-
tainplane crash. Their objective
was to determine if the victims
were linked with the “Minute
Men,” a self-styled guerilla war
fare organisation emerging in
various parts of the United
States.
The pilot of the private plane,
Ned Giebrick, 24, a Navy vet
eran, wore a gun holster con
taining a pistol. His passenger,
Max Toushak, 23, was wearing a
Nazi uniform of the type used
by George Rockwell’s “Ameri
can Nazi Party.” Officials report
ed that another Nazi uniform,
swastika armbands and a swas
tika flag was found in the
wreckge.
Sheriff Merrill Culbertson of
Inyo County said the plane ap
peared to have been en route to
neighboring Fresno county where
400 leaders of the Minute Men
movement in California were
preparing to assemble. The group
is being organized in various
Nasser-Confiscated
Property Mostly
Owned by Jews
LONDON, (JTA)—Most of the
171 names of owners and proper
ty in Egypt listed in the third
confiscation of property by the
Nasser regime are Jewish, it
was reported here from Cairo.
The total number of victims
of such property seizures dur
ing the past four weeks is 593.
A substantial proportion of the
593 persons are Jewish, it was
established from the lists reach
ing here.
states to deal with “domestic
traitors” in event of a nuclear
attack. Robert B. DePugh, 38, of
Missouri, who claims to be na
tional leader, is currently in
California. A Minute Man
spokesman claimed that members
include former FBI agents, at
torneys and other reputable
“anti-Communists.”
California National Guard offi
cials were reported disturbed by
reports that the Minute Men are
traning with machineguns, re
coilless artillery, hand grenades
and other weapons. State officials
have asked the FBI to investigate
the Nazi equipment found in the
crash in Inyo county, an area
bordering Nevada. They had al
ready deplored the “private
army” when the Nazi aspect de
veloped accidentally in an in
vestigation of the plane crash.
point of the Sanctuary and is de
signed to symbolize the Holy of
Holies of the Ancient Temple.
It will be a walk-in ark, 18’ in
width, 8’ in depth and 20’ in
height”
“In addition to. the shelves
which are to hold the sacred
scrolls the ark will have a large
coffer-like table, the top of which
will feature two gilded carved
wings. These will be able to hold,
at the most, three of the holy
scrolls. The coffer, symbolizing
the ancient Temple Ark of the
Covenant will be lavishly and
colorfully decorated.
“On the outside and in front
of the ark there will be suspend
ed two large tablets with the Ten
Commandments and the Eternal
Light. To satisfy the require-
mnts of Jewish Law there will
be two Bimas (platforms) in
front of the ark. The upper Bima
will have, at the south end, a
specially designed six-branched
candelabra. This, too, will fea
ture, symbolically, the cups,
blooms and knobs as described
in the Bible. On the north side
will be placed the pulpit On the
lower Bima a functionally de
signed Reading Table will be
placed. This is for use in read
ing the sacred scrolls of the
Torah and for the reading of the
service by the Cantor. On this
lower Bima the wedding cere
monies will be solemnized.
“On either side of the ark the
entire East wall will be covered
with murals. Gisbert Palmier,
well known ertist of Atlanta,.baa
devised a special medium for
this purpose and has painted the
entire composition on sheets of
imported wood. Ths will, in es-
Fear Common
Market May
Hurt Israel
PARIS, (JTA)—David Ha-
cohen, chairman of the Israeli
Parliamentary delegation now
visiting France, hinted this week
that Israel might have to make
special provisions to meet the im
pact of the European Common
Market. He spoke at a luncheon
tendered to the delegation by the
French Minister of State and
touched on the possibility that
Israel’s economy and exports
might be severely hit in the long
run by the common market
The Israeli official appealed
to friendly countries to keep
in mind the needs of small na
tions outside the six-nation com
munity in their plans for ex
pansion.
S.F. Youth to Face Trial
Dec. 4 for Anti-Semitic Acts
NEW YORK, (JTA) — Jewish
groups retreating from their
traditional opposition to Federal
aid to parochial schools were
sharply criticized by Israel Bres-
low, president of the Workmen’s
Circle, the 65,000 member Jew
ish fraternal and cultural organ
ization, at a meeting of the
organization’s national executive.
“A number of Jewish agencies
have come out, or are preparing
to come out, for Federal aid to
parochial schools in the obvious
expectation that their own
schools will be among the bene-
ficaries. This is a clear sacrifice
of principle to expediency,” he
charged.
He said that the Workmen’s
Crcle, which operates a total of
80 secular Jewish schools in New
Ybrk, Chicago, Los Angeles, Bos
ton, Philadelphia, Detroit and
other cities, “understands very
well that rising school costs are
becoming increasingly burden
some. But if we wish to perpe
tuate our culture and religion
within the American family, we
must be willing to foot the bill,"
he said.
The Workmen’s Circle presi
dent noted that there has recent
ly been an upsurge of interest
in Jewish culture among second
and third generation Americans
of Jewish ancestry, and that this
has resulted in a growing demand
for Workmen’s Circle schools in
suburban areas. He said that,
within the past year alone two
such new school centers had
been completed in the New York
City area, and that construction
on a third had begun.
sence, symbolize the Urge rocks
and outcropping moss of the
wailing wall. To remove the
sorrow of this symbol of a de
stroyed temple, the ,mural will
optimistically depict the history
of the Jewish people and Its re
ligious symbolism and will also
include the rejuvenation of the
State of Israel.
"The stained
and the rich panelling
to the sanctity and
of the synagogue. The
will also contain a daily
a conference room, busfaess Of
fice, Rabbi’s study, a Bride’s
room, meat and dairy kitchens
and a tastefully panelled social
hall which can serve 400 people.
To construct so fine and func
tional a building, the firm Of
Rives E. Worrell k Company was
awarded the contract They have
shown a great deal of devotion,
loyalty and ingenuity in produc
ing what may well prove to be
one of the finest and most unique
synagogues in the country."
The cornerstone service, which
will take place inside tbs new
building, will be an occasion for
great rejoicing and thanksgiving.
The arrangements committee is
headed by Joseph Goldberg and
includes Miss Evelyn Robinson,
Sisterhood president; Jacob 171-
man, Brotherhood president; Abe
E. Rabhan, Chevra Kadisha pres
ident; Mrs. Herbert Blumenthal,
Mrs. Isaac Levington and Mrs.
Abe E. Rabhan; Isadora Karpf
and Louis Silverman; and ex-of
ficio members, Abraham L Ros
enberg, rabbi; Louis Wexler, con
gregation president;.Alvin Kars-,
man, vice president; and Benja
min Garfunkel, chairman of
building committee.
The theme of the ceremony will
stress the continuity of a glorious
heritage bequeathed by the older
generation to the youth. Young
and old of the congregation will
participate in this program. The
young will be represented by
Sanford Epstein, president of the
Shabbat Junior Congregation end
Alan Tanenbaum, president ef
Chapter No. 1 of Youth of Ortho
dox Union.
The old will be represented by
all living members of the congre
gation who were also members in
1909 when the cornerstone was
set in the present building. The
names of the latter, $3 in number,
will be engraved on a sterling
silver trowel to be preserved in
the new building. Following is a
list of those to be honored: I.
Berger, Albert Blumberg, Mrs.
Samuel Blumenthal, Mrs. Harry
Blumenthal, Max Blumenthal,
Mrs. Charles Boblasky, Mrs. Har
ris Chemoff, lbs. Joe Cohen,
Mrs. I. H. Cooper, Selig Ktehholx,
lbs. Ida Wilensky line, lbs. A.
J. Feinberg, lbs. L L Foss, Mrs.
A. J. Garfunkel, Mis Charles
Garfunkel, Miss Sadie Garfunkel,
Mrs. Alex Gilmore, Simon Gold
in, Mrs. I. Gottlieb, Mrs. Harry
Heyman, Mrs. Hyman Horovitx,
Mr. and Mrs. Hyman Kanter, Mrs.
P. Kolman, Mrs. Abe Mazo, Louis
Mirsky, Mrs. Harris Nathan, Mrs.
Max Nathan, Mrs. Sam Postman,
Mrs. Harry Silverman, Mrs. Ab
raham Stone, Mrs. Jacob Stein,
I. D. Weltz and Mrs. Louis Weitx.
At the close of the service the
congregation will gather at the
southwest comer of the new
building. Hera a, metal capsule,
containing a membership list of
the congregation, a program of
the ceremony Eating the aonoraes
and the perttefeutte, minutes at
the congregation and eopies of
local and national newspapers
will be perpetuated within the
cornerstone. Rabbi Rosenberg end
Cantor Ranani will offer prayers
for th« welfare of the honorees.
With this inspirational
ceremony will be cone
mood the
concluded.