Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-02

On the ground n00r is the COuI
Georgian Churches. On the Sec
ond floor is the Council of Activ-
tiles Of Religious Cults. which
supervises the religious affairs
of the minority faithS-Moslems
MethodistS, Buddhists. Luther
ans. Baptists and Jews.
It was to this Office that We
made our way.
Our host was Council Of Cults
member Mr.. Prychodkov. who i.
not Jew. but apparently has
special supervision over Russian
Jewish affairs. Under him, ir
every large city, are commits
sars," who serve as liaison be-
tween synagogue and state. Like
Prychodkov, these "commissarS'
are invariably not Jews. Atheists
are considered detached enough
to be firm in handling synagogue
or church-affairs.
Says State Doesn't Interfere
Prychodkov assured us thai
the council does not interfere ir
matters of religious dogma OF
internal church or synagogue
policy. The only limitations. HI
explained, are those imposed BY
the national health laws, which
do not permit such religion.
practices as self-torture OF
suicide.
The councils function, VIZ
were told. is to assist minority
faiths in those areas controlled
by the state-to aid MoSlemS il
planning pilgrimages to Mecca
for example, by arranging visa
and providing transportation.
Prychodkov showed us a copy
of the Moslem bible, the Koran
printed this year. I'VE supplied
the paper and all the publishing
facilities
What about membership fig
ures for the various faiths?
Mr.. Prychodkov delivered ;
lengthy speech on the separa
ton of church and state.
I'VE guarantee religious lib
erty. which means that onl,
those who are voluntarily af'
filiated are counted as religious.
How are religious groups or
gained?
Very simply. Any 20 peopl,
who apply for permission tt
organize a congregation ar,
granted the right to do so.
Religious Education Taboo
What about the right of {
group to perpetuate itself-th,
right to organize religious
schools?
Here the Council of Cult,
member became rigid. Tit
school system in Russia, he ex.
planned. is monolithic-it brook,
no competition. Public religion!
instruction is taboo. Obviously
the state has prior rights to the
child up to the age of II.
Could Hebrew be taught, sc
that the prayers be made intel
ligible?
mot publicly. Hebrew is g
language like any other. anC
there are state resources fol
teaching languages"
do you permit teacher-train.
ing schools?" we asked.
The trouble is not lack o.
teachers, but lack of pupils" wa
the answer, and our host added
drily. that the Jewish problem
was being solved by intermar.
riage.
We leanred. incidentally, tina
the nationality of the child in {
mixed marriage is determined
by the mother. The children O
those Jewish men who married
out of their faith carry the ma
tionality label of Russian. Uk
rainian, or whatever ethnil
group their wives belong to.
Avoid Sew" Label Issue
We came abruptly to one o
the TOUGHEST aspects of the Rus
sian Jewish problem-the queS
ton of status. A Soviet Jev
bears the label Jew" on all hi
documents-even his graduation
diploma.
How did Mr.. Prychodkov ex
plain the separate status givel
to Jews-which carried with
none of the special rights &C
corded other nationality groups
That, he Suavely replied, wa
a philosophic question. He coul,
LOST
BASSET HOUND. female, brown an
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