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A Welcome For Refugees
Daily News
January 23, 1977
Click here to see pictures
of the event
 The
Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe (FREE) will honor 135
recent arrivals from the Soviet Union and other Eastern European
countries who have undergone the ritual of circumcision for
the first time. The celebration will take place at 1 p.m.
today in the main ballroom of the Brooklyn Jewish Center,
667 Eastern Parkway.
Having been denied this ritual under the Soviet regime, FREE
makes it possible for these arrivals "to establish this
covenant with G-d and to openly declare their Jewishness in
this land of freedom and religious opportunity," according
to spokesman Rabbi David Wakser.
Founded in 1969 by a small group of Russian immigrants, the
group has its headquarters at 1388 President St. It has since
grown to be the foremost organization that sees to the spiritual
welfare of the Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe,"
Rabbi Wakser said.
In addition, FREE keeps track of and stays in contact with
those who have chosen other cities for their new homes. FREE
arranges and persorms ritual circumcisions, the rabbi said.
The organization also provides literature on all aspects
of Judaism in the Russian language, distributes religious
articles, runs the only bilingual Yeshiva staffed exclusively
for Russian children, and runs day and summer camps with entire
Russian-speaking staffs.
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