Wire Story
Seized Jewish religious library subject of Helsinki Commission hearing
By Logan C. Adams
Scripps Howard Foundation Wire
WASHINGTON – The Helsinki Commission will hear about the struggle to reclaim a piece of Jewish heritage Wednesday that has been held for nearly a century by the Russian government.
Members of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, one of the largest Jewish organizations in the United States, will testify about the Schneerson collection, a compilation of rare religious books and manuscripts owned by former movement leaders.
The collection consists of 12,000 volumes and an additional 25,000 documents assembled during the movement’s 250-year history.
The collection was seized by the Soviet Union in two parts. The first, known as the “library,” was taken near the time of the Bolshevik revolution from Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson in Russia. It is in the Russian State Library, said Rabbi Chaim Cunin, a representative of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement.
Schneerson was sentenced to death for his religious activities, but foreign governments protested and he was banished from Russia instead. He moved to Warsaw, Poland, where the second part was seized by Nazis in 1939 during World War II. Called the “archive,” it was later discovered to have been captured by the Soviet Union and taken to the Russian State Military Archive.
The Chabad-Lubavitch leaders are testifying before the commission to gain public attention for their cause and to pressure Russia into returning the collection.
“What we expect to come out of the influence of the Helsinki Commission should correct an injustice that goes on nearly 100 years,” Rabbi Joseph Wineberg said. Wineberg worked with Schneerson during the bombing of Warsaw and will be testifying Wednesday.
State Department officials and actor Jon Voight will also testify.
“Jon has been a strong supporter of our efforts since the early ‘90s,” said Cunin.
To show support for the return of the collection, Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., wrote a letter and had it signed by all 100 senators. President Bush delivered it to Russian President Vladimir V. Putin.
This was not the first time the Russians have been asked to return the collection. The Senate made a similar appeal in 1992 to then-president Boris Yeltsin. Only eight volumes have been released since then. A
spokesman for the Russian embassy said a response would be posted on its Web site Wednesday afternoon.
Still, the leaders of the movement remain optimistic.
“I believe that we are on the verge of a major breakthrough,” said Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin, director of Chabad-Lubavitch on the West Coast, who will testify. “Mr. Putin is a good man, I believe he wants to give the books away.”
By Logan C. Adams
Scripps Howard Foundation Wire
WASHINGTON – The Helsinki Commission will hear about the struggle to reclaim a piece of Jewish heritage Wednesday that has been held for nearly a century by the Russian government.
Members of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, one of the largest Jewish organizations in the United States, will testify about the Schneerson collection, a compilation of rare religious books and manuscripts owned by former movement leaders.
The collection consists of 12,000 volumes and an additional 25,000 documents assembled during the movement’s 250-year history.
The collection was seized by the Soviet Union in two parts. The first, known as the “library,” was taken near the time of the Bolshevik revolution from Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson in Russia. It is in the Russian State Library, said Rabbi Chaim Cunin, a representative of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement.
Schneerson was sentenced to death for his religious activities, but foreign governments protested and he was banished from Russia instead. He moved to Warsaw, Poland, where the second part was seized by Nazis in 1939 during World War II. Called the “archive,” it was later discovered to have been captured by the Soviet Union and taken to the Russian State Military Archive.
The Chabad-Lubavitch leaders are testifying before the commission to gain public attention for their cause and to pressure Russia into returning the collection.
“What we expect to come out of the influence of the Helsinki Commission should correct an injustice that goes on nearly 100 years,” Rabbi Joseph Wineberg said. Wineberg worked with Schneerson during the bombing of Warsaw and will be testifying Wednesday.
State Department officials and actor Jon Voight will also testify.
“Jon has been a strong supporter of our efforts since the early ‘90s,” said Cunin.
To show support for the return of the collection, Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., wrote a letter and had it signed by all 100 senators. President Bush delivered it to Russian President Vladimir V. Putin.
This was not the first time the Russians have been asked to return the collection. The Senate made a similar appeal in 1992 to then-president Boris Yeltsin. Only eight volumes have been released since then. A
spokesman for the Russian embassy said a response would be posted on its Web site Wednesday afternoon.
Still, the leaders of the movement remain optimistic.
“I believe that we are on the verge of a major breakthrough,” said Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin, director of Chabad-Lubavitch on the West Coast, who will testify. “Mr. Putin is a good man, I believe he wants to give the books away.”
posted by Logan C. Adams at 4/06/2005 11:24:00 AM
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