Jewish Refusenik Tells of ‘Spiritual Genocide’

Josef Begun, a leading Jewish refusenik whose struggle to emigrate led to his imprisonment before Soviet authorities granted him an exit visa, on Tuesday likened the plight of Soviet Jews to “a kind of spiritual genocide.”

In his first visit to Los Angeles, Begun met at the Simon Wiesenthal Center with local Jewish leaders and discussed a meeting he and a group of religious leaders had with President Reagan earlier this month.

Begun, who emigrated from the Soviet Union to Israel four months ago, said he urged the President to continue to keep alive the issue of human rights in Moscow talks later this month.

“Americans have the power to make sure that human rights stay in the negotiation basket,” Begun said. “Jews are forbidden the basic human necessities to know about their culture and history.”

Begun, a Hebrew teacher, attracted intense publicity in 1987 when KGB agents broke up a protest calling for his prison release. The handful of demonstrators, including Begun’s son, were manhandled by KGB agents during four days of confrontations in what became known as the “Battle of Arabat,” for the historic Moscow square where the protests were held.

‘Will Not Forget’

Worldwide publicity over the incident apparently led Kremlin officials to release Begun from prison. The Jewish activist had served less than half of a seven-year sentence for “anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda.” He left for Israel with his family last January, promising they “will not forget those we are leaving.”

Begun explained Tuesday that he knew all too well about human rights violations. While imprisoned for teaching Hebrew and acting as a leader in the Jewish emigration movement, he said he was denied “spiritual existence.”

At one time, he said he was ordered to solitary confinement for six months for wearing a yarmulke. His wife, Inna, said Tuesday she was unable to send him matzo.

“Non-Jews in prison are allowed books and newspapers. But a Jew who wants to read a Jewish book does not have the same right,” he said. “For a Jew who is in prison for years, this is very tragic.”

He called his release from prison a “cosmetic attempt” by authorities to show they are improving the conditions for Jews.

“But in reality nothing has changed. We still do not have the right to leave for our homeland and live our way of life,” he said.