The Southern Israelite. (Augusta, Ga.) 1925-1986, April 15, 1977, Image 7

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— I "Wo are young poopin' Soviet UN Mission accepts appeal from wife of imprisoned activist ■j.\ NEW YORK - In an un precedented action, the Soviet Mission to the United Nations in New York, accepted a petition written by Natalya Sharansky, on behalf of her husband, Soviet- Natalya Sharansky will par ticipate in Holocaust memorial ceremonies Sunday moraine at Greenwood Cemetery. Jewish activist Anatoly Sharansky, who is presently be ing held in Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison, pending a criminal in vestigation on charges of “espionage and treason”. “I appeal to you for help,” began the letter to the USSR’s Secretary-General Leonid Brezhnev. “I believe that you will understand me, a simple woman who was separated from my husband immediately after our wedding. All we want to do is to be together in Israel. We do not request anything from your to me, and since March 16, 1977 has been imprisoned on false ac cusations. Sharansky’s ac cusations stem from a March 5 article in the Soviet newspaper Izvestia which accused him of working for the CIA. Presently touring the United States with her brother Mikhail Shteiglitz, Mrs. Sharansky was accompanied to the mission by National Conference on Soviet Jewry (NCSJ), Chairman Eugene Gold, her brother and Theodore Mann, Chairman of the National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council (NJCRAC). Anatoly Sharansky government, but my husband Anatoly Sharansky who has been held in the Soviet Union alrea dy three years, and cannot come “Mr. Brezhnev,” the letter con tinued, “I do not believe that you have ever been separated from your wife during your lifetime and I hope that in the future you will not know the pain of being separated three years, never knowing when you might be re united. Despite this, I am asking Singapore Jews unique you to understand our dilemma. There are five hundred Jews living in Singapore, most of them having gone there from Iraq and India, a few coming from Britain and other Euro pean countries. Writing in HaAretz, Daniel Degan reports that the .Singapore Jewish Center is housed in a pleasant building op posite the elegant synagogue built in 1905. A smaller syn agogue, also still in use, was erected five years earlier. The Jews of Singapore speak English among themselves, and follow Sephardi traditions in the synagogue. The young Rabbi of the community, Isaac Ben- Zakin, 26, told the reporter that there are minyanim every mor ning and evening. On Shabbat, and holidays, more worshippers come to ser vices. The community also has a ritual bath (mikva), a Sunday school and an afternoon religious school. Born in Spanish Morocco, Rabbi Ben-Zakin was ordained as a Rabbi, and as a ritual slaughterer (shohat), in Britain. Most of Singapore’s Jews are merchants, particularly in tex tiles, jewelry and footwear. Generally, they are well off in- financially. The few Jews in need are helped through special funds established by wealthy members of the community. Rabbi Ben-Zakin reported that Jews have lived in Singapore for 150 years and they have created a fine pattern of communal life. There is a lot of hope invested in the young generation which shows a great interest in tradition and in Jewish learning. He sees the number of families who observe Jewish dietary laws (kashrut) increasing, as is the number of worshippers coming to syn agogue. Singapore’s citizens, 80% of whom are Chinese, know prac tically nothing about Judaism. However, they treat all religions with honor and respect. “We are young people who want to be together, to build our lives together,” the plea con tinued. SERVICE E.G. CRAIG - OWNER OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE COMPLETE TREE SERVICE • FEEDING • PRUNING • REMOVAL • SURGICAL WORK • FIREWOOO • SERA VINO . STUMP REMOVAL • TREES TRANSPLANTED • RIGHT OF WAV CLEARANCE ESTIMATES WITHOUT OBLIGATION" SERWN8 AU ATLANTA A METRO AREAS 436-1375 iwQtMcm cau. covmwroN. a* - mwu Mrs. Sharansky whose United States tour is being sponsored by the NCSJ with the co-operation of the NJCRAC finished by writing, “Only you can help us and I will be forever grateful if my husband and I could be together in the immediate future.” Fretlacha Simchas Weddings • Bar Mitavahs ■fi.ee ma n A* '■'ORCHESTRAS Ml "It Wl> I \ ! i H I UNMKVI 448 8031 • 448-0390