Soviet Plan to Ease Policy on Jews Told
The Soviet Union, in a major policy shift, plans to allow thousands of Jews to emigrate to Israel this year and dramatically increase religious freedom for those at home, senior U.S. Jewish sources said today.
The sources, prominent figures in the American Jewish community, said the assurances of imminent change came during three days of meetings last week between Kremlin officials and leaders of the World Jewish Congress.
The sources, who asked not to be identified, said Soviet officials pledged that 3,500 Soviet Jewish families, between 11,000 and 12,500 people, will be allowed to emigrate to Israel this year via Romania.
Soviet officials also said that as of May, private teaching of Hebrew will no longer be illegal and that petitions to build synagogues will be seriously considered.
The sources added that the Soviets also agreed to lift bans on the import of Hebrew religious textbooks and would no longer forbid Soviet citizens from pursuing rabbinical training in the West.
Many of those who will be allowed to leave have waited up to 15 years for visas.
“We are talking about long-term refuseniks, people who never dreamed they would ever see Israel,” one source said.
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