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What Elie Wiesel saw in Moscow on Simchat Torah in 1965

JL;DR SUMMARY In his 1965 report for the Forverts, later included in his book "The Jews of Silence," Elie Wiesel recounts his moving experience of witnessing Simchat Torah in Moscow. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Soviet JewryJewish IdentitySimchat TorahElie WieselJewish CelebrationJewish ResistanceMoscow1965KgbYouth Engagement

Places mentioned

Moscow, Russian Federation
"Elie Wiesel traveled to Russia as a reporter for the Forverts in 1965, choosing to spend the Simchat Torah holiday in Moscow, dancing with the young Russian Jews."
Jerusalem, Israel
"A few went further, giving vent to their innermost feelings, but always in a whisper: I have a brother in Israel, a sister in Jerusalem, an uncle in Haifa."
Haifa, Haifa District, Israel
"A few went further, giving vent to their innermost feelings, but always in a whisper: I have a brother in Israel, a sister in Jerusalem, an uncle in Haifa."

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Cairo Item ID 41682
Cairo Source ID 35
Retrieved 2025-01-15 05:31:21 UTC
Curated 2025-01-15 08:31:55 UTC