861.404/497b: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Standley)
Washington, May
21, 1943—10 a.m.
337. For Ambassador Davies.
- 1.
- A delegation of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United
States introduced by Congressman Bloom38 has informed us as
follows:
- (a)
- About 500 rabbinical students, deans, and rabbis of the great Talmudical Academies of Poland are now refugees in the Soviet Union for the most part in Central Asia.
- (b)
- The orthodox Jews of the United States consider these rabbis und students as “the hope and future of Israel” and are extremely anxious that they should be able to go to some locality where they may be cared for and be able to resume their studies and cultural work.
- (c)
- Five hundred visas to Mexico have been assured the Jews in question by the Polish Government by virtue of an agreement between it and the Government of Mexico.
- (d)
- The Jewish people would be eternally grateful if you while in the Soviet Union could take the matter up on an humanitarian basis with the appropriate Soviet officials and obtain their consent to permit this Jewish group to proceed to Iran where visa and transportation arrangements to the country of final entry could be arranged for them. On different occasions the Soviet Government has evidenced by its release of like persons that it does not desire to hold religious refugees of this type. They furthermore fully guarantee the financial status of this group and will never permit members of it to become public charges.
- 2.
- In view of the situation outlined above it is felt that you might find an occasion to discuss this matter with the appropriate Soviet authorities. It is believed that if the Soviet Government would be able to accede to the wishes of the orthodox rabbis the effect upon Jewish opinion in the United States with regard to the Soviet Union would be beneficial.
- 3.
- We are inclined to believe that this whole matter could be handled in such a manner as to prevent you and this Government from becoming involved in any objectionable way in the present Polish-Soviet controversy.
- 4.
- If the Soviet Government expresses a willingness to permit this group to go to Iran the matter could then be taken up with the Iranian and Mexican Governments.
- 5.
- Department’s telegram number 33839 will contain the list and addresses of the members of the group in question.
Hull