Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-03
Abducted Boy Returned to Mother,
Will Go With Her to Home in Israel

NEW YORK, July 3 (AP)-
YoSef Schumacher, abducted
three years ago in a religious
dispute, returned to his moth
er'S protection today and will
go back to Israel with her in q
matter of hours.
The boys parents, refugees
to Israel from Russia, had al
lowed him to live with his
grandparents in Jerusalem I'M
til they could establish proper
residence. Yosef was kidnapped
when the grandparents said
there would not be enough
orthodox discipline If Yosef re-
turned to his parents home.
On being reunited with his
mother Ida and sister zina. IS,
Yosef, who is 10, said in Yid-
dish: sc. am very content
to be with my mother and
sister,"
The United States Immigra-
ton and Naturalization Service
formally returned Yosef to his
mother at the conSulate-gen-
eral of Israel.
Yosef, quiet and shy at the
ceremony, smiled and allowed
photographers to take his pic
ture for the first time. Often
he hid his face behind his
hands and behind window
draperies.
No Decision Reached
Peter Esperdy, district direc-
tor Of the immigration and
Naturalization Service, said no
decision had been made yet
whether to prefer charges
against Rabbi zavrill Gertner.
of Brooklyn, with whom Yosef
had been living.
Although Mrs. Schumacher
identified her son partly
through a mark on the top of
his head, formal Identification
was not necessary, for the boy
and mother claimed each other.
Asked about the boys early
reactions, she said, II expected
it to be worse but it was quiet.
1t took only a few minutes for
him to recognize his sister first
:. then his mother"
Mrs. Schumacher, 81, ar
rived from Israel by plane last
night and was taken immedi-
ately to a Manhattan immigra-
ton office to see Yosef, whom
she calls "YosSele."
They recognized each other
an immigration official said.
Mrs. Schumacher rushed to |
embrace the youth, crying over |
and over in Hebrew MY boy, |
My boy"
Warns Up Later
Yosef appeared impressive at /
the start of the meeting, but
before long he was laughing |
at stories told by his mother
and sister, who came here from
Israel with her mother.
Mr.. ESperdy said the boy had |
been found Saturday at the /
home of Rabbi Gertner, a mem |
Der of the Ultra Orthodox |
HaSidic sect. The youth had |
been living there under the
name of Jacob (Yankele) |
Gertner.
Mr.. ESperdy said the Cert
ners neither disputed the iden-
tification of the boy as the
missing YoSelf Schumacher
nor claimed the right to keep
him.
Last night, Mrs. Schulz
macher said she was only |
interested in getting my child
and l don't want to prosecute |
anyone"
Refused to Give Him Up
Mrs. Schumacher put the
boy in the care Of her grand
parents, Rabbi and Mrs. Nah
man StarkeS, in Jerusalem in |
1857 because. the Schuhmach-
erS, recent immigrants to Israel |
from the Soviet Union, did not /
have a proper apartment at
the time.
When they asked for him |
back three years ago, the rabbi
refused on grounds there would
not be enough orthodox dis
cipline IN the home. Then the
child disappeared.
The rabbi was jailed for re-
fusing to give police informa-
ton about the boy, and four
residents of an orthodox viii
lage in Israel were accused of |
kidnapping him. The charges
later were dismissed.