TLS in Hebrew, one page, 6.25 x 8.75, State of Israel letterhead, April 8, 1953. Letter to S. Eliashiv, Israeli Minister to the Soviet Union. In full (translated): “I understand your feeling in returning to Moscow and to a vast land of suspicion, hostility, and silence. You have undoubtably received instructions as to what to say, and how to say it, to the government functions there. True, ‘liberalism’ is indicated by the new leadership towards the Jews, one important thing I ask that you demand repeatedly: the right of Soviet Jews to emigrate to Israel. In respect to the Jews I don’t know what you will say to them, I know what I said to them in my mother tongue ‘thank you for having remained Jews.’ Have a good trip and success in your duties.” Central vertical and horizontal fold, punch holes and red pencil notation to right edge, and scattered mild toning, otherwise fine condition.
Serving at the time as Israel’s minister of labor, Meir’s letter was sent a month after the death of Joseph Stalin. His demise brought with it guarded optimism that things might be different. For the time being, however, the censorship and militarism of the Soviet Union, was still in effect in that “vast land of suspicion, hostility, and silence.” At the time of this letter, the Jews were still persecuted under the regime of Nikita Khrushchev—just as they had been under Stalin, who had been secretly planning the mass deportation and execution of Soviet Jews. Complicating matters was that diplomatic relations between the two nations halted in February following an explosion in the territory of the Soviet mission in Israel. It was under this backdrop that Meir implored Eliashiv to continue demanding “the right of Soviet Jews to emigrate to Israel.” Passionate correspondence. Pre-certified PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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