xt7wst7dvv8g https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7wst7dvv8g/data/mets.xml Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass. Kentucky Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass. 1992-11 Newsletter of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass, previously named the Central Kentucky Jewish Association and Central Kentucky Jewish Federation. The Federation seeks to bring Jewish community members together through holiday parties, lectures, Yiddish courses, meals, and other celebrations of Jewish heritage and culture. They also host fundraisers and provide financial assistance for Jews in need, both locally and around the world. newsletters English Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass records Jews -- Kentucky -- Lexington Jews -- History Central Kentucky Jewish Federation newsletter, November 1992, volume 10 number 7 text Central Kentucky Jewish Federation newsletter, November 1992, volume 10 number 7 1992 1992-11 2024 true xt7wst7dvv8g section xt7wst7dvv8g
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VOL. X, NO. 7
President’s Message
Shalom.
The past six months have seen many
changes in your Federation and development of
a foundation for many others.
Most visible to date is our new office
location. We have moved to the Chevy Chase
neighborhood, as you all know, and have made
significant progress in organizing files and other
materials. Credit for the bulk of this progress,
and ongoing support for our committees must go
to our staff: Interim Director Evelyn Geller,
Program Director Sharyn Sharer, and Secretary
Kimberly Nye.
This past spring I appointed Mike Ades
as chair of a Search Committee to locate a new
Director. The Committee began its work by
analyzing the nature and scope of the Director‘s
position. Along with the conclusion that this
could easily be a full time job, came the exciting
news that two different sources were offering us
grants that would enable us to hire a full-time
Director and to upgrade our office facilities. One
grant, totalling $18,000.00 is available for use
beginning this calendar year through 1993. The
second grant of $9000.00 is applicable to 1993.
We are most grateful to the several members of
the Central Kentucky Jewish community who
have the foresight and commitment to provide
this support.
Therefore, we have conducted a local
and national search for a new Director. As of
this writing we anticipate appointing someone in
the very near future. This step augurs a
significant and substantive change in the
capability of CKJF to expand its activities and
services and to impact on the Jewish and general
community.
Concurrent with our move and our
search, the Board has engaged in a long range
planning process that began in May. With
Marilyn Moosnick serving as our facilitator we
spent part of two meetings creating a list of our
goals and dreams - everything we could possibly
want or need to build a stronger Jewish
CENTRAL
KENTUCKY
JEWISH
FEDERATION
NOVEMBER l992
community with a full complement of programs
and services.
In August, at a full day retreat, we
selected our top nine priorities as our goals for
the next three years, we also took into
consideration the time needed to achieve
substantive results. Where programs and
services already exist, our efforts will be geared
to supplementing, strengthening and enhancing
them.
For the first year we plan to concentrate
on three areas: 1) Extending efforts to involve
more members of our Jewish community in
interfaith dialogues and social action within the
Lexington community; 2) Work on expanding
services and programs for older adults; and 3)
Explore and develop support programs for
intermarried families.
Future goals include enhancing our public
relations efforts in the Central Kentucky
community; search out and develop new
leadership to insure our continuity and broaden
our volunteer base; work on developing a
program of youth services that would include all
the Jewish children in our community. Finally,
the two biggest and most ambitious goals relate
to exploring and developing a professionally
staffed Social Services component of our
Federation, and a Jewish Center facility to
enhance Jewish Community interaction at all
ages and stages of life.
I know you will agree with me that this is
a most ambitious list. I hope you will also agree
that these are all goals worthy of our time, effort
and commitment. We, as a Board, can direct our
energies toward initiating the planning and action
required, but we cannot achieve results without
the support, and participation of all of you who
are part of this community. I hope you will call us
and volunteer your help. I hope you will add your
comments and suggestions to our list of goals.
I hope you will contribute your time and your
money. There is much to be proud of here, but
together we can build an even better Jewish life
for ourselves and our children.
I look to the future with great anticipationl
-Judy Saxe
DIRECT FROM YOUR DIRECTOR
Our Federation's success depends
entirely upon its members; those in
the community who support its
projects and programs. Thanks to
those who contribute to our annual
Central Kentucky Jewish
Federation/United Jewish Appeal
Campaign, we can say with pride that
we have aided in the resettlement of
new Americans from the former
Soviet Union and in the education
and training of olim to Israel from
lands of oppression. We help Jewish
youth strengthen and maintain a
Jewish identity by helping them
attend Jewish camps or study in
Israel. The Community Relations
Committee works to promote positive
relations between the Jewish
community and the community at
large and to inform the greater
community about Jews and Judaism.
The Social Services Committee has
offered emergency assistance to Jews
whose lives were threatened by
poverty or illness. The Community
Activities Committee sponsors pre—
school parties, Forums, Camp
Shalom, and other activities which
foster community-wide ties. We are
grateful to all our members who serve
as committee members and as
volunteers.
The catch is that we need more. No.
I'm not asking for money; you'll hear
from Campaign about that. What I
am asking for is your time and your
talents. For example, we need not
only a Bulletin editor and staff, but
also volunteers who can help fold,
label, and sort the Bulletin. We need
volunteers for the Community
Activities Committee; both a co-chair
and activity chairs and workers.
Social Services can use your help
with work that ranges from checking
on people who are elderly or home-
bound to doing case work.
Community Relations needs help
meeting its many responsibilities.
And we always need help as we work
to help new American acclimate.
I well may be usurping the
prerogative of the CKJF Board with
this appeal. But, at the risk of
sounding frivolous. the worst that
can happen is that you fire me. I'm
not frivolous. I'm very serious. You
have made CKJF the great
organization it is. Only you can
enable it to continue its vital works.
Decide how and where you can best
serve. Then call us and volunteer.
Just as you need the Federation, the
Federation needs you.
I wish you peace in all its
manifestations.
Evelyn Dantzic Geller
Interim Executive Director
RADIO: Our Way
During December WUKY will be airing
three programs of particular interest.
1. 12/20 Sunday 6 pm AN OPEN GATE:
AN EXPLORATION OF JEWISH] CHRISTIAN
INTERMARRIAGE.
2. 12/21 Monday 8 pm CHANUKAH
LIGHTS.
3. 12/21 Monday 9 pm THE WESTERN
WIND VOCAL ENSEMBIE: THE CHANUKAH
STORY ENCORE!
We hope you will listen and will express
your thanks to the station for these
broadcasts.
JEWISH COALITION FOR SOMALI
REFUGEE RELIEF
Somalia is a land whose people are in the
throes of death. Approximately 1.5 million
people face imminent starvation; half of all
Somalis are homeless; 80% of all Somali
children suffer extreme malnutrition - sufficient
to kill or to impose permanent developmental
disabilities. And the world watches.
One person, Abie Nathan, is trying to mobilize
a Jewish humanitarian response to this tragedy.
He initiated a project, under the umbrella of the
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
and co—sponsored by 14 other major Jewish
organizations to build a relief center on the
Somalia/ Kenya border. The plan is that this
tent city will be built by Jewish volunteers from
the United States and Israel. Once established,
it will be turned over to the U. N. High
Commissioner on Refugees as a gift to them,
the Jewish people and will serve to provide
food, shelter, health care, and solace to at least
20,000 victims of starvation, exposure, and
neglect.
While major funding is being provided by the
members of the coalition, additional support is
needed from Jews around the world. If you
wish to help financially, please send your
check, payable to the American Jewish Joint
Distribution Committee -- Somali Relief, to that
group at 711 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y.
10017. You may offer your volunteer services
to that address as well.
This appeal is a matter of life to a dying
people. Remember our teaching that if one
saves a single human life, it is as if one saved
the world and respond accordingly.
AMERICAN JEWISH CONGRESS
. The 102nd Congress - A Brief Review
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM RESTORATION ACT
(RFRA): On Thursday, October 1, the House
Judiciary Committee gave voice vote approval
to the RFRA, which would restore the free
exercise of religion protections eviscerated by
the Supreme Court in Employment Division v.
Smith. While the RFRA did not reach the
House floor, the Committee’s action, and the
co-sponsorship of 194 House members and 25
Senators, suggests that movement is likely in
the 103rd Congress, although there is a
tremendous amount of effort necessary to
educate the new members.
EDUCATIONAL CHOICE: Though both the
House and the Senate passed wide-ranging
education bills (H.R. 4323/ 5.2), the conference
report reconciling the bills died in the Senate,
where Republicans threatened to filibuster
because of the lack of non-public educational
choice provisions. President Bush indicated
that he would have vetoed the bill on the same
grounds.
ENERGY POLICY (SPR): HR. 776, The
Comprehensive Energy Policy Act, contains
several provisions promoting energy efficiency
and alternative energy sources. AJCongress
supported a provision mandating a 1 billion
barrel goal for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
The Reserve serves in the event of a disruption
in our imported supply of oil. Unfortunately,
a plan to require American oil producers to
contribute oil or money to help build the
Reserve was removed from the bill on the
House floor. As a result, there is no clear
means to finance the Reserve buildup.
HEALTH CARE: Despite AJCongress’
insistence that Congress make "enactment of a
comprehensive national health insurance
program" "a major focus of its work," Congress
failed to move health care reform legislation
before adjouming. AJCongress did, however,
play a leading role in calling attention to the
’backdoor cuts’ in Medicare that have resulted
from the often inaccurate processing of
Medicare Part B claims. Testifying before the
House Select Committee on Aging, AJCongress
Governing Council Honorary Chairman Theo
Bikel urged Congress to "establish an
ombudsman responsible for interceding with
carriers when a beneficiary disputes the denial
of his or her claim.
LOAN GUARANTEES: A $10 billion, five-year
loan guarantee program was included in the
Senate’s foreign aid bill, and accepted by the
House in conference. The conference report (H.
(continued on p. 7)
CAMP SHALOM NEWS
It’s time to start thinking about summer.
The Camp Shalom Committee has already
started planning for its 1992-1993 season. The
dates for this year’s camp will be June 7 - June
25 1993 .
Camp Shalom is looking for a Director,
Assistant Director, Head Counselor, Senior
Counselors and Junior Counselors. We need
individuals who love working with children ages
49 and who enjoy working in an outside
environment.
Remember, this year there is a change in
location. There is a permanent shelter to
escape the heat during the hottest hours of the
afternoon. If you are interested please call
Central Kentucky Jewish Federation at 268-
0672 or Jessica Ross at 273—4231.
UPDATE
We have heard from the Greater Miami Jewish
Federation as to the state of affairs now that the
immediate effects of Hurricane Andrew are past. The
work currently is concentrated on moving from crisis
interventions and relief operations to long term rebuilding
and rehabilitation. Efforts to assess the scope of the
hurricane's impact on Jewish and community resources
and facilities continue. The Federation’s collaboration
with community agendas and agencies sponsored by
other religious groups is on-going. Hope and plans for
the future are evident in all quarters. But the realization
is that the restoration of South Dade will take a number
of years and untiring effort by many groups.
NINTH ANNUAL NATIONWIDE JEWISH
SINGLES SUPERCRUISE - 1993
The Jewish Community Centers Association of St.
Louis, in cooperation with Brentwood Travel, is
sponsoring the Ninth Annual Nationwide Jewish Singles
Supercruise '93. This year's Seven-Day Cruise departs
from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on Norwegian Cruise Lines
brand-new 'Dreamward’ Ship. The Cruise departs on
Sundayl February 7 and returns on February 14, 1993.
The Dreamward will set sail to four exciting Ports of Call:
ST. THOMAS, ST. JOHN, SAN JUAN, AND NASSAU.
The Cruise package includes: Round-trip airfare
from most major US. cities to Florida, with transfers to
the port, all meals and snacks throughout the day
including a midnight buffet, a variety of exclusive singles
activities, the Broadway show "Dream Girls", a Sports
bar, a new gymnasium and health Spa, a welcome
aboard rum punch party and many more exciting
activities.
The cost for all of this fun ranges from as low as
$1,3999.00 - $1,709.00 per person based on double
occupancy. To reserve accommodations, participants are
required to make a $200 deposit per person with final
payment due November 24, 1992. Cruise prices will
increase after November 24, and space will be very
limited. For more information or to make reservations,
call Stephanie or Gale at Brentwood Travel 1-800-527-
1059 or Joe Lang at the Jewish Community Centers
Association 1-314-432-5700, ext. 278. A BROCHURE IS
AVAILABLE AT THE CKJF OFFICE.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE
The Long Range Planning Committee, at its
meeting the end of August, mandated two areas of
concern to the Community Relations Committee as
priority items.
For immediate attention is an increase in dialogue
between the Lexington Jewish Community and other
ethnic and religious groups in Lexington. To this end, Bill
Leffler invites any member of the Jewish Community to
join the on-going Catholic-Jewish Dialogue which meets
the fourth Tuesday evening of each month. Also,
beginning October 27th and continuing for six weeks
there will be a Jewish-Christian-Muslim Trialogue. You
are also invited to participate. For details call the Temple,
Synagogue or Federation offices.
The other area mandated by the Long Range
Planning Committee is that of increased public or
community relations. At its September 30th meeting, the
Community Relations Committee spent a good deal of
time discussing ways of implementing this mandate.
There are many facets to it, including how to deal
effectively with community relations concerns within the
general community, who should speak on behalf of the
‘ Lexington Jewish community, how to react most
appropriately to untoward situations in our schools etc.
The Committee plans to address these subjects this year
and consider the best way of meeting these challenges.
The Committee also discussed community
relations from the perspective of recent discrimination by
businesses and government that is well intended but
discriminatory none the less. These situations are
concerns of the CBC and have been handled to our
current satisfaction. However, they represent the kinds of
concerns which can well arise in the future and we need
to be better prepared to react in an effective manner.
As a result of concerns expressed this past
academic year, the Fayette County schools held a work
shop this summer, attended by all school principals and
in conjunction with our local NCCJ chapter, on the topic
(continued on p. 10)
THANKS TO OUR GOOD
SAMARITANS
T hose who serve Central Kentucky Jewish Federation in
any capacity either as elected officers or Board members
or as committee or resettlement volunteers merit the
praise and gratitude of all members of our Federation.
There are, however, some whose efforts go above and
beyond any call of duty; people who put in long hours
and much effort on behalf of this community and at
considerable personal sacrifice. Jimmy Mlschner and
Lynn Shraberg are prime examples.
Recently a situation arose which required intervention to
save the life and property of an infirm person living in
Central Kentucky. Lynn and Jimmy each contributed their
special talents. Together and separately they spent
inordinate hours working on behalf of a fellow Jew who
was unable to act independently.
They arranged to be appointed this person's legal
guardians. in this capacity they arranged for the person's
medical care and home care; for necessary repairs to be
made to the home; for this lnfirm human being to live in
dignity. In their endeavors they were generously
supported and assisted by Larry Sherman.
to these excellent volunteers we say KOL HA HAVOD -
ALL HONOR.
-WHO IS DOING WHAT-
OOPS! in our congratulations last
month we were derelict in neglecting
to applaud PENNY MILLER who has
been appointed Chair of the Kentucky
Commission on Women. A belated
but most sincere mazeltovll
TAI PRESENTS . . . ROBYN HELZNER
..rr spr‘r‘lnl pmgmmfor the young and not so young.
.Ir'll‘r'slt Folksirrger of Hebrew. Yiddish. Russian.
Inriinn and Arrrericarr Jewish.
F‘nlksmrgs, Storyteller, Puppeteer
Nnr'mrrher 8. 1992 at Temple Adath Israel, 4:00 pm.
Fire and Open to Public
WOMEN IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD
-Why do girls shy away from math and science?
-How can girls and women prepare for higher
paying jobs?
-What are some of the obstacles and rewards
some women have encountered pursuing
nontraditional careers?
COME AND HEAR
A PANEL DISCUSSION BY THREE WOMEN
IN CAREERS DOMINATED BY MEN
SPECIAL ABILITIES IN WOMEN - HOW THE
SCHOOLS SHORTCHANGE GIRLS -
GIRLS AND SELF-ESTEEM
Hadassah General Meeting: Wednesday,
November 4, at Ohavay Zion Synagogue, 2048
Edgewater Court, 7:30 pm.
Young Judaea is looking {or
a few good PEOPLE.
Ono you like working with children?
N10 you feel strongly about your Judaism?
d9Want to share it with the next generation?
YOUNG JUDnEfl, the Zionist l'outh
Movement sponsored by Hadassah, is
looking for a teulngton City Director.
» City Directors notivate youth in the area
to be involved in Judaism by
oplanning exciting educational act ivil'ies
-locating and hiring excellent support
staff
~e'1couraging participation in regional
events
For more information about: the position
and pay scale, call
Amy Beth IIamcrmcsh, Central States Region Director
2935 Birch Hollow Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108
(3l 3) 9730038
UNFORGETTABLE FLIGHT
BY
Zina Rozenzhak
I will never forget the day, when l stepped on board of a big airplane, which took me from one
part of the world to another.
The spring came early this year. The weather was wonderful. The air was warm and smelled
like a fresh-cut watermelon. Usually at this time my family and l were trying to go to the country and
enjoy this most beautiful season of the year, when first leaves appeared on the trees and young green
grass started to cover the ground.
This year everything was different. We were ready to leave the Soviet Union for good, so
everybody in the family was busy packing the luggage. I made the last phone calls and inquiries about
the place we were going to.
Genya, my mother, a middle-age woman with brown eyes and dark hair, was cooking breakfast.
Misha, my husband, a handsome man of medium height, strong build, with an oval face and brown
eyes, was putting all the things we were planning to take with us in the suitcases. Sofya, my daughter,
a skinny, tall girl with beautiful green eyes, filled with joy and excitement. and Willy, my son, with big
blue eyes, were helping my husband. They were running from one room to another, bringing favorite
toys, books, clothes and other things we decided to take with us. Everybody in the family was excited
and worried.
By the end of the day we left our house and went to the airport, which was located in a suburb
of Moscow. A couple of friends decided to go with us and spent the sleepless night with my family at
the airport. After spending 12 hours at the airport, we finally got on board of an airplane.
Everything was left behind: friends, relatives, favorite jobs, and our house, which was filled with
a lot of books and things which were with us all our lives.
I didn't even notice when the plane had taken off., l was sitting in my seat beside my husband,
who was embarrassed and tired, and thinking who were all the people around us? Why did they decide
to leave their country and seek fortune in another world? We were all dreaming about a happy future
for our children and excited about the changes in our life.
I closed my eyes and tried to get some rest, but my mind was preoccupied with the changes,
and | asked myself a question. How did we come up with the idea to immigrate? My memory took me
back to a sunny spring day 2 years ago, when my husband’s brother, Boris, a tall, good-looking, clever
and good-humored man, came to visit us. We were sitting on the sofa and talking about how we could
raise our children in a country without future. Everything was falling apart. The people in the Soviet
Union started to hate each other, because life had become extremely hard. I saw no light in front of
me, no future for my growing children. Then our close friends started to leave the country. The hard
decision had been made and we started to get ready for immigration.
My thoughts were interrupted with my daughter’s questions. Sofya wanted to know how long
we would be on board, where the plane would land and could she and Willy have a book to read.
When the children got answers, which seemed to satisfy them, they started to talk about what they
would like to do when we arrived in Lexington.
I had never heard about this town before. My husband had found a very old book about the
United States with a map in it. We located and circled the town on it. Then Misha read an article
about Kentucky which explained that Lexington was a little town with a population of 200,000 people.
It had a university and most of the jobs were in agriculture and mining. The article also said the
Lexington area had a leading market for race horses.
0“ I
.\ ‘
C I
r . People on board of the airplane were mostly immigrants. They were tired and worried, but lull
of expectations. We all were ready to start our new life in the United States. The voice of the
stewardess walking between the seats interrupted my thoughts. She was making announcements and
offering drinks. The words were familiar, but sounded strange. She was speaking English. That was
the first moment I realized that the world we were going to live in would be completely different and it
would take us a lot of time to get used to living in it.
The pilot said a couple of phrases about the weather and places we would pass on the way to
New York. l was listening to his voice, trying to understand the meaning of the words. Truly, it was
not easy.
It was a long, non-stop flight. All my thoughts were about how the new country will treat us,
what I will do and how Sofya and Willy will get used'to everything. I was mostly concerned about my
son Willy, because he was a very shy boy. He had never spoken English in his life. He had taken
classes, but it was not enough for him to get used to speaking and expressing his thoughts in English.
New York gave me an impression of a "crazy town", where everybody was running and trying
to do a million things at one time. I did not see much of it. Within one-half hour we got our luggage,
met our friends Rita and Jacob who came to the United States two years before we arrived, and were
put on board another plane which took us to Lexington. When I saw Rita among the people who met
us at the airport, I felt like I had received a birthday present. She and her husband were like small
pieces of our past which we left behind. The advice we received from them was very important. Rita
had bought some food and little presents for the children. We spent 20 minutes together and then
again we had to take another plane, which would bring us to Lexington. After a couple of hours, we
r danded at the Lexington airport.
It was a warm Spring evening. Through the darkness we could see plethora of colored lights:
red, yellow, green, blue. The blue lights of the airport were like forget—me-nots. They reminded me
about my happy days when l was a little girl and my mother bought them for me in the Spring.
When we got out of the plane and came inside the airport building we were surrounded by a big
crowd of people who had come an hour before our arrival to meet us. A man and a woman were
holding a big banner, "Welcome to Lexington”. My children were immediately captured by their new
American friends, got a lot of presents and had to answer millions of questions. Looking at their
smiling, happy faces with shining eyes, I realized that we had made the right decision. My children
would have a happy, joyful life here. ,
Our new friends helped us to get our luggage and took us home. They had done a great job
before our arrival. Our apartment was furnished and the refrigerator was full of food. It was the
beginning of our new life in this big, friendly country which traditionally has been the land of freedom
and dreams.
(continued from p. 3)
Rpt. 102-1011) was approved by both houses on October 5th (312—105 in the House, voice vote in the Senate). The
legislation provides the full $2 billion in guarantees for 1993, but requires deductions in future years of the amount of
money Israel spends on activities "inconsistent with agreements reached" between the two governments. The legislation
thus gives great discretion to the President to decide when and how much of the guarantees to approve. But key issues
surrounding the guarantees remain undecided, including the amount of the set-aside Israel must pay to cover the risk of
" default. 'lhe Office of Management and Budget has set the amount at 4.5% this year, but the set—aside must be re-
egoliated each year.
FOREIGN AID (ISRAEL): Although this year's foreign aid bill was $1.3 billion below the President’s budget request and
$300 million below last year’s allocation, Israel’s $3 billion in earmarked funds remained untouched. But the difficulty
in gamen'ng support for any foreign aid this year points to a need for AJCongress and other groups to devise a long-term
education strategy for new Members of Congress on the importance of maintaining America's leadership abroad.
7
NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SOVIET JEWRY
To: Interested Parties
From: Shoshana S. Cardin, Chairman
Martin A. Wenick, Executive Director
Subject: Update on Situation in the Former Soviet Union
(FSU) and its Impact on the Jewish Community There.
The situation in the fifteen successor states continues to be marked by political and economic instability as well as ongoing
social and ethnic tensions. Circumstances vary from country to country so generalizations are difficult, but the portion
of the approximately three million Jews residing in the FSU which is currently most at risk is the approximately quarter
of a million individuals of Jewish heritage who live in the Muslim republics of Central Asia and those who are living in
areas of intensified armed conflict. Anti-Semitism of the country, and dramatic price rises, rampant corruption, and other
bureaucratic obstacles are impeding emigration and impact negatively on efforts to build Jewish communities.
The era of glasnost and perestroika clearly had a beneficial impact on the Jews residing in the then Soviet Union. By 1989,
emigration procedures for Jews were greatly liberalized and limitations on the development of Jewish cultural and
religious life substantially reduced. Nevertheless, the Jews of the FSU remain a community at serious risk.
Some long-term refusenik cases continue to exist, and, new cases continue to arise. (A Russian official recently told the
NOS] Chairman that the refusal rate on exit visa applications is approximately two percent.) In the absence of legislation
in the various countries establishing the framework for emigration, bureaucrats, most of whom have occupied their
posih'ons for years, have set the practices and patterns locally. Information that NCBJ has received about draft emigration
legislation in the various countries suggests that it will closely follow the legislation passed last year by the USSR.
Supreme Soviet which contained some serious flaws. In the present transifional period in which government practices
and authority are not fully established, serious abuses occur primarily in the area of graft and bribery. Jews applying to .
emigrate report that in virtually every area of the country they are obliged to pay substantial sums at every turn of the
process from the application through obtaining customs clearance for the personal effects they are transporting abroad.
The rapidly escalating rise in prices is having a significant impact on those seeking to emigrate. In addition to having to
cope with the demand for increasingly large bribes, they have to deal with the rising normal costs of the process. Round
trip air travel to Moscow for an individual can cost more than a month's wage, and the process can require several trips
there. In order to raise the necessary funds needed to finance their departure, some individuals must resort to the sale
of their apartments or other personal property, but the general absence of clear laws and regulations on privatization and
local practices, primarily in Central Asia directed against the Jewish minorities, is making this difficult -- and delaying
departures.
Anti-Semitism continues to raise its ugly head as a threat to the FSU’s Jews. (A recently completed survey by American
Jewish Committee of more than 3,000 respondents across a majority of the countries of the FSU indicates that attitudes
towards Jews are generally more negative today than they were a year ago, with the situation varying somewhat from
area to area.) Liberalization of society has led to the appearance of numerous anti-Semitic newspapers, magazines and
journals. Anti-Semitic organizations such as Pamyat continue to function in certain areas, primarily the larger cities of
western Russia. The existing political instability and economic deterioration provide fertile breeding ground for these
activities in an area of the world where anti-Semitism has historically manifested itself. Rising nationalism in Central Asia
has its anti-Semitic implications. In the areas of civil unrest and conflict such as Moldova
-- with its history of pogroms - and Ossetia, Jews are being pressed in both areas to take positions between the opposing
forces.
Interest in emigration among Jews of the FSU remains high, although the actual flow to Israel has dropped significantly
from the peak levels reached earlier. In large part, this can be attributed to delay in departures as a result of reports being
received regarding resettlement problems in Israel. The level of flow to the United States is affected, in part, by the
bureaucracy involved in receiving exit permission and in completing the other formalities associated with leaving the FS
and by the dramatic increase in the cost of departure. Any increase in political instability, the spread or intensification
of civil unrest, and/ or increased manifestations of nationalism are factors that could dramatically impact on emigration
levels in the future.
PLEASE SHARE IN OUR HAPPINESS
WHEN OUR SON, SAM BRIAN
IS CALLED TO THE TORAH
AS BAR MITZVAH
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1992
TEN O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING
OHAVAY ZION SYNAGOGUE
2048 EDGEWATER COURT
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY
POLLOVVING THE SERVICE
PLEASE CELEBRATE WITH US
ATA KIDDUSH LUNCHEON
SAM WILL ALSO LEAD THE SERVICE
FRIDAY EVENING AT EIGHT O'CLOCK
[OYCE AND [IMMY MISCHNER
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
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