New Britain herald., 1925-08-22
Synagogues and School Closed and Thousands Sent Into Exile in Sibe- rian Wastes

"Amerlcan Jews are very good
 llonis's, indeed. It is chiefly be- cause of their willingness to con- tribute to the cause, plus the desire among those Jews now subjects of eastern European countries to re- turn forever 10 the Palestine of their iorefathers. that the movement is certain of ultimate success" declared
 Boris Berkman of New York, lcc- turer for the National Federation of Ekrainian Jews of America. in an interview in the Herald offic3 yes- terday afternoon.
 MT. Bcrkman was the speaker al the meeting of the New Britain Zionist organization in Talmud Fora h hall last Tuesday night, his subject at that time being Crimcan coloni- 2ation. Mr. Berkman has travelled all over the globe in the interests of the Zionist move oment, and during his travels ras succeeded in master ing seven different languages. He has been in America only one year. Besides English, Mir, Berkman speaks fuently Jewish, French, Rus sian, German. Hebrcus and Japanese. Tn the United States he has been lecturing principally in Jewish, Rus stan and German.
 Thousands Barred From America
 'The Jewish people of eastern Europe would like more than any thing else to be permitted to become said. "but unfortunately for their as- pirations, the United States immi- grafton laws deny admission yearly to all save some five or six thous- and, And yet, that is just what VIC want, for these people, thus pre- vented from taking up their abode in America. have hardened 10 the wishes of those behind the Zionist movement and are going into Palos- tine. Four thousand Jews from Po- land removed all their belongings into the Holy Land last month alone.
 During tho past five years. three times tho number went back than during tho @5 years preceding, ample evidence or the tremendous growth of the movement.
 "It is from Soviet Russia that tho Zionist movement is receiving It's greatest opposition, and in that country it is only the undying spirit of the people that VIC have 10 thank for the failure of the Bolshcvik re- gime to crush the very heart of the Just recently 4,5D0 young Jewish leaders have heen de- ported 10 Siberian prisons for spreading Zionist propaganda in Ulrainia And with their leaders under arrest, the Jewish people In Russia are disorgani2ed and know not where they should turn for in- spiratiOn.
 3,50O.O00 Jews in Russia
 "Thcrc are today $500, ,0Oo Jews in Russia, and the economic state Of the country is very bad. The soviet leaders have closed the Jewish syna- gogues and schools and are ondeav- bring with all their might, aided by a small band of Jewish communists, 10 make all the Jews in Russia con- munists. But this they can never do. The spirit of the Zionist movement has become too firmly imprcgnatcd in their very souls; and this spirit will not be overcome.
 These people all want to go 10 Palestine, but with their leaders imprisoned and their every move mcnt threatened with like punsh- mcnt. they know where to turn"
 This is the story that Boris Bcrk- man is telling wherever he lectures: and it shows the tremendous ob- stacles still confronting the ranks of Iionism, which must be overcome before the movement Is a success and the Jewish people once again have a homeland of their own.