The Jewish Week - 10.31.2003

 

 

 

 

The Jewish Week

Russians Sound Off On Mahathir 

Community takes the lead in rally protesting Malaysian prime minister’s anti-Semitic comments. 

Walter Ruby - Special To The Jewish Week

Are Russian-speaking Jews becoming the most activist portion of the American Jewish community? 

The question seemed appropriate after some 250 people — overwhelmingly Russian Jews — assembled outside the Malaysian Mission to the United Nations last week to protest anti-Semitic remarks made Oct. 16 by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed in a speech to the Islamic Summit Conference in Malaysia. 

Mahathir claimed, “The Europeans killed 6 million Jews out of 12 million. But today the Jews rule this world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them.” 

Addressing a fired-up crowd that included a large contingent of Holocaust survivors and Word War II veterans as well as younger people, Igor Branovan, president of Russian American Jews for Israel, the main organizer of the event, said: “We are here to protest and show anger at the anti-Semitism and bigotry of the prime minister of Malaysia. It is appropriate that this [rally] is done with the leadership and guidance of Russian-American Jews. We experienced anti-Semitism first hand [in the Soviet Union] and see the importance of stamping it out.” 

In comments to reporters, Branovan added, “This is the first time a Russian group has led an effort that must be undertaken by the Jewish community. We feel we are a vibrant and energetic part of the community, and are happy to show it.” 

In addition to blasting Mahathir’s remarks, Branovan also condemned “those leaders who didn’t have the strength and moral character to oppose it, especially [Russian President Vladimir] Putin … who has claimed he would fight anti-Semitism.” 

Branovan and other speakers noted that Putin immediately followed Mahathir to the podium at the Islamic summit but offered no word of reproach to the Malaysian. 

People in the crowd seemed fired up despite the 40-degree temperature and brisk wind. Holding aloft a sign reading “I Stand With Israel,” Anastasia Braverman, a retiree originally from Odessa, said, “I am here today because I am a Jew who survived the Nazi invasion of our country, so I know where rhetoric like that of Mahathir can lead.” 

Marina Klochan, a 26-year-old auditor, remarked, “I’m here because what the prime minister said is a disgusting insult to all human beings, not only Jews. We can’t just let this slide.” 

While the rally was organized by RAJI and two other Russian organizations, the World Congress of Russian Jewry and PRAVO, the leaders of groups like the American Jewish Committee, Jewish Community Relations Council and the Workman’s Circle also spoke at the event, as did Rep. Jerrold Nadler and Queens Councilman David Weprin. 

The principal organizer of the event and its master of ceremonies was Leonard Petlakh, assistant executive vice president of the Hebrew Free Loan Society. 

Asked why more American Jews were not demonstrating alongside the Russian Jews at the rally, AJCommittee executive vice president David Harris responded, “I don’t know, but AJCommittee is here, as are the JCRC and others.” 

“Actually, I think it is wonderful that the Russian-speaking Jews have taken the lead on this issue and others in the community have responded,” he said. 

Pointing out that many of the organizers of the rally took part in an ongoing Jewish leadership training program for Russian Jews organized by the AJCommittee, Harris said, “This kind of event is exactly what we hoped for when we planted those seeds. This is a real coming of age for the Russian-speaking community.”