From: sethr@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (seth.r.rosenthal)
Subject: Re: Israel and the diaspora
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 15:31:17 GMT

In article <1992Nov10.233158.29177@u.washington.edu>, nobby@milton.u.washington.edu (Vitaly Shmatikov) writes:
> In article <1992Nov10.172741.20297@cbnewsl.cb.att.com> sethr@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (seth.r.rosenthal) writes:
> >In article <BxIDIM.JF1@encore.com>, amarkel@encore.com (Arieh Markel) writes:
> >> nobby@milton.u.washington.edu (Vitaly Shmatikov) writes:
> >> 
> >> >In article <BxHqCx.KF5@cs.columbia.edu> ratner@cs.columbia.edu (Michael Ratner) writes:
> >> >>In article <1992Nov7.234200.8473@ennews.eas.asu.edu> makowsky@enuxha.eas.asu.edu (David Makowsky) writes:
> >> >>>In article <92312.0400382893684@QUCDN.QueensU.CA> andy <2893684@QUCDN.QueensU.CA> writes:
> >> >>>
> >> >>># In article <4428@bimacs.BITNET>, rothberg@bimacs.BITNET (Danny Rothenberg) says:
> >> 
> 
> [... stuff deleted ...]
> 
> >
> >I am not sure about Soviet citizenship, but in order to apply
> >to leave they needed a letter of invitation from somewhere.  Israeli
> >letters were sent routinely whether there was a family or not there.
> >Once they got to Rome or Vienna they would revoke their status with
> >Israel and re-apply to the U.S.   When the procedures changed,
> >and application made directly in Moscow with direct flights,
> >this could no longer be done.  The choice was, file for status in the
> >US, if rejected one could either go to Israel, or try somewhere in
> >Western Europe.  Germany was a pretty inviting place because of its
> >booming economy.  Today, perhaps France or Italy, but given what's
> >going on in France, thats no bargain either.  This was the net effect
> >of the immigration policy.
> 
> I never heard of France or Italy accepting or even intending to
> accept any Soviet Jews.
> 

I am pretty sure that Russian Jews are going to Italy.
I have friends there who confirm it, Milan seems to be
a collection point.  I'm sure its not 25,000 people, but
there seem to be some.

> >
> >Almost all Jews in Europe had cousins or aunts and uncles in the States
> >in 1938.  Our cousins applied to emigrate from Poland in 1936, and were
> >given approval, for 1943.  That is how far backed up the visa requests
> >were.  Of course by 1943 10 out of 13 of the children in that family
> >were gone.
> >
> 
> I don't know about 1938 but nowadays INS most definitely does *not*
> consider aunts and uncles to be direct relatives.
> 

This isn't so clear.  I must admit I'm mystified what the criteria
are.  I have helped families bring over cousins, aunts and uncles
without closer relatives.  I am currently expecting someone to
come from Russia without any family here at all (that she knows of
in any case).  She already had her status approved.

A more important question that perhaps Vitaly or one of our other
ex-Russian brethren can help us with, is the immigration going
to accelerate?  Yeltsin said some pretty scary things in Parliament
yesterday about coups, his strength, etc.  Israeli immigration
hasn't picked up to the pre-Gulf War levels, and family members
of people I know here who are middle level managers
in government and business in Russia seem to be saying they
are staying there come what may.

		Seth Rosenthal

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own not my employers'.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish