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NUDEL ARRIVES IN Kol Ishah—"Woman's Voice." Traditionally, the voice of the Jewish woman was not to he heard in public, lest it arouse men. No more. These pages are for news about Ida Nudel, known as "the and actress Jane Fonda, active Jewish women, usually in their own strong voices. Angel of the ," ar• on behalf of Nudel and other rived in Israel from the Soviet Soviet . Fonda had met Union October 15, 1987, after Fridman in Jerusalem in 1979 having been granted an exit and learned about Nudel's Prisoners of Conscience be• Conscience, which was headed visa October 12 after 16 years plight; she visited Nudel in cause of her packages, visits, by Nudel's name. of waiting. Bendery, Moldavia, and had and concern for them and Nudel had been exiled to The 56-year-old engineer- long worked to bring about their condition. While stiU in in 1978 after she hung economist, on whose behalf her release. Speaking in Eng• , Nudel expressed her a banner from her Moscow LILITH conducted a Women's lish and promising to learn hope that "all my friends in apartment asking for an exit Appeal that garnered thou• Hebrew quickly, Nudel ad• Russia should leave soon. visa. When she returned from sands of signatures (see tssixes dressed the crowd; Many people should leave Siberia in 1982, officials would #76 and #17) landed at Ben "A few hours ago I was every day." not aOow her to live again in Gurion Airport in Lod in a jet almost a slave in Moscow. Now Nudel had first applied for a Moscow. A number of other furnished by industrialist I'm a free woman in my own visa in 1971 and was originally cities also rejected her Armand Hammer. country. It is the moment of refused in 1972. Earlier this presence. She was welcomed by my life. I am at home at the year her name had appeared She was finally permitted hundreds of reporters and soul of the Jewish people. I am on a list of refuseniks who, residence in Bendei-y, where dignitaries. Her sister Elana a free person among my own Soviet authorities said, would she was often harassed. When Fridman, whom she had not people." She told reporters she never be granted exit visas. she tried to see Elie Wiesel seen for 16 years, along with would continue to work for However, when Peres met with when he visited Moscow in Fridman's husband and son, the release of all Jews wanting Soviet Foreign Minister 1986, she was forced off a bus greeted her as did Premier to leave the . Eduard Shevardnadze in Sep• in Bendery and beaten. , Foreign Min• For years Nudel has been tember, he gave Shevardnadze When Nudel heard of her ister , Hammer, called the "guardian angel" of a list of former Prisoners of coming release, she was in

Ida Nudel is welcomed upon arrival in Israel by supporter Jane Fonda, sister Elana Fridman and Premier Yitzhak Shamir. 4 Issue #18 Lilith Moscow applying for permis• mann met Elana Fridman at mann recalled for the audi• sion to resume her residence ACTIONFOR the Jerusalem Cinematheque ence "a time in history, not so there. Rudolf Kutznetsov, head NUDEL for the dedication of a balcony long ago, when terrible things of the Moscow OVIR (emigra• in Ullmann's honor. The meet• happened and people said tion bureau), told her to re• ing took place following a aftei-ward that they did not turn to Bendery to get her Action and interest on behalf screening at the Cinema• know, did not see, did not emigration papers in order; of Ida Nudel continued up theque of Ullmann's new fUm, hear." The actress continued: she had permission to leave. until just a few days before she "Moscow Farewell," based "We have no excuse now in Like obsei-vers throughout was told she could emigrate. loosely upon the life of Ida the case of the Soviet Union. the world who have followed In August, 23 Moscow refuse- Nudel. We do know, we do see, we do her saga closely, Nudel has few niks appealed to General The film, which is in English, hear, and we have to mention illusions about the meaning of Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev was directed by Mauro Bolog- their names every day so as to her release. Coming as it did to permit Nudel to live in Mos• nini of . It depicts the life remember Ida and all the oth• on Ereri} Yom Kippur, the cow. Her only crime, they said of a named Ida, her ers who want to leave the evening of Kol Nidre, seemed in theu- appeal, "was her active protests, and her days in a Soviet Union and aren't al• to assure both a heavy emo• struggle for her undeniable Siberian labor camp as well as lowed." tional impact and a diplo• right to rejoin her only rela• her isolated existence follow• Elena Fridman said she had matic advantage: "In ancient tive, her sister, in Israel." The ing her release. The fdm also spoken to Nudel, who sent her times, the Pharaohs used to refuseniks' plea stated: includes the story of a mar• thanks and a kiss to UUmann, please the chiefs of neighbor• "Now, when the USSR aims riage for its heroine and a whom she hoped to meet one ing countries with very exotic for a democratic society and lover, about neither of which day in Jerusalem. things. I feel that I am a white many Prisoners of Conscience anyone familiar with Nudel Meanwhile, ia New York, the crocodile. I was used to please were given freedom, we hope claims to know anything. Jabotinsky Foundation of New Mr. Reagan and Mr. Schultz that Ida Nudel, about whose Fridman did, however, travel York announced that Ida before a meeting of the health and living conditions to Rome, where she served as Nudel, along with three oth• superpowers." we worry, wiU also experience a consultant to the film. ers, will receive the 1987 Def• After the official airport the results of'perestroika.''We Ullmann said that although ender of Jerusalem Award, reception and press confer• appeal to you to renew her she has not met Nudel or which carries a cash prize of ence Nudel went over to the right of residence in Moscow." spoken with her, she has read $25,000. Said Eryk Spektor, parking lot of Israel Aii-craft (Perestroika" means "restruc• her letters and other writings chairman of the Foundation: Industries, where she attended turing" and refers to what is and feels she has come to "We play tribute to the faith, a "Reception and Salute to Ida considered the current limited know her through them. At courage, and spirit of this Nudel." The second reception, opening up of some aspects of the dedication of the balcony, remarkable woman who is the organized by the Israel Soviet society.) Ullmann said she hoped one standard-bearer for all Jewish Women's Committee for Ida Andrea King reported from day Nudel could join her there dissidents and a symbol of the Nudel and the Public Commit• Jerusalem that in September, for a drink. plight of the Jews in the Soviet tee for Soviet Jewry, drew a Norwegian actress Liv UU- Before the screenmg, Ull• Union." crowd estimated at between 5,000 and 10,000. Nudel spent her first night Jack Kemp (R-NY); Delores H. John Heinz (R-PA). in Israel at the Tel Aviv Hilton. CONGRESSIONAL Beilenson, wife of Sen. BBW President Irma Gertler She told reporters the next Anthony Beilenson (D-CA); and BBW Public Affair's Dii'ec- day she was amazed by the WIVES MEET and Teresa Heinz, wife of Sen. (Continued on Page 32) color of the sl

'S/STERS OF LIGHT" GATHER TO Photographs by Gail her mother, EsteUe Rubin Rubin at age 39, the inter• of New York. It includes the RECLAIM JUDAISM FOR WOMEN nationally acclaimed wild• red-legged stork at Ma'ayan Twenty-five women dance in a artist Deborah Krueger taught life photographer mur• Michael, the bird sanctuary circle, late in the afternoon women how to make plaster dered by FLO terrorists in where she was photo• before Shabbat, beside a breast-plates. For much of the a bird sanctuary in Israel, graphing when she was secluded natural pool in the weekend nine beautiful casts were exhibited in Sep• shot in 1978. woods. Chanting fills the air: of women's breasts proudly tember at the Hutchins "Thank you Mother Earth; adorned the mantle of the Gallery of the C.W. Post The exhibit, which has thank you Sister Water; thank main meeting room. One Campus of Long Island also been seen in Manhat• you for my birth; thank you woman said, "It was so affirm• University. tan, will travel to other sites from your daughter." ing to see huge Jewish The exhibit, which fea• in the New York metropoli• This was the mikvah (ritual women's bresists as art. It gave tures 39 of Rubin's photo• tan area, before its tour immersion) ceremony at the me a whole new acceptance of graphs of birds, beasts, concludes in Israel's Jerus• Achyot Or (Sisters of Light) my own body." and flowers as well as alem Theatre next fall. Gail Rubin's work appeared in weekend gathering of 40 Jew• Participants, who came landscapes, portraits and LILITH #5. ish feminists from several East from diverse backgrounds, abstracts, was organized by Coast cities at a retreat center included feminists who live near Philadelphia last sum• according to halacha (Jewish Director of the Coalition for mer. law), women just beginning to WOMEN the Advancement of Jewish Achyot Or grew out of the explore their Jewish identity Education (CAJE) following experience of several women and others whose commit• ADVANCED the most recent CAJE confer• who are members of a related ment to Judaism is based on JEWISH ence this August. group called B'not Eysh, radical feminist re-interpreta• (No figures are available to Daughters of Fire. B'not tion. EDUCATION document this change. The last Eysh's 24 women have met Joanna Katz had originally such survey, conducted by the annually since 1981 for an envisioned the gathering "to Women are moving into the American Association for intimate weekend focusing on bring together peers who are field of Jewish education at an Jewish Education and report• issues of feminist theology: the creating Jewish feminism ... unprecedented rate, not only ed on in LILITH #6, 1979, connection between spiritual• all equally creative, responsi• as teachers, but also as super• revealed that only 10 percent ly and sexuality; images of ble and empowered to make visors and administrators. of women educators in metro• God/ess; and the impact of this movement happen." Katz Before the 1960's, more than politan areas were working ritual practice on women. and Julie Greenberg—both 90% of the management posi• as principals, supervisors or The Achyot Or gathering rabbinical students and active tions in Jewish education were education directors.—Ed.) was organized by six Philadel• organizers in the Philadelphia held by men. Today, many Spack cited as evidence of phia women to reach out to Jewish feminist community- women are serving as princi• the emergence of women on the many women who had can be reached at 117 W. Car• pals or educational directors the Jewish educational scene, heard of B'not Eysh gather• penter Lane, Philadelphia PA of schools, as administrators the fact that approximately ings and wished to participate 19119, for information on next in central agencies, and as two-thirds of the almost 4,000 in such events. Memorial Day's gathering, faculty members or adminis• members of CAJE are women, The gathering was built which a planning committee trators in institutions of higher as were 74 percent of the around three theme groups. has undertaken to organize. learning. nearly 1,700 people who The artists' group focused on —Julie Greenberg and This assessment was made attended its latest Conference. each woman's struggle to Joanna Katz by Dr. Eliot Spack, Executive —Natalie Flatow affirm herself as both an artist and a woman, two marginal• ized identities in this society. Participants in the theme OBITUARIES REFUSENIK group on "Living our lives as REPORT Jewish Feminists" talked about the impact of class and ethnic Rimma Brawe, the former Wisconsin, died in May at the Nadezhka Fradkova, a former background on women's as• Moscow refusenik, died in June age of 46. She was the author Prisoner of Conscience who pirations. at the age of 32 in Rochester. of^ Time to Reap: The Middle spent 1984-86 in a labor The spirituality group, in Brawe received an exit visa, Ages of Women in Five Israeli camp, arrived in Israel in June. discussing the relationship along with her husband, last SubcuUures, which she wrote Refuseniks recently granted between spirituality and Jew• December. She was the second after living and teaching for exit visas, in addition to Ida ish ritual, created a new of a group of five known as the ten years in Jerusalem. Nudel include: name for the God/ess: Rach- International Cancer Patients Mollie Golub of New York, • Anna Lichterova of Mos• mnema, a blend of the Hebrew Solidarity Committee. a and honorary na• cow, refused permission 10 words meaning womb Nancy Datan, an author, tional president of AMIT years ago and granted a visa (rechem), compassion gerontologist, and Professor of Women, died in June at the in September. {rachamim) and mother Human Development who age of 87. She had been active • Elena Prestin of Moscow, {Etna). held the Chair of Women's in the women's Zionist movement with her husband Vladimir At one afternoon workshop, Studies at the University of for over 40 years. and son Mikhail, who applied 6 Issue #18 Lilith in 1970. • Evgenya Palanker, a computer engineer from Yere• van, Armenian SSR, her hus• band Vili and sons Dmitri and Evgeny and mother-in-law TOTAL OF 141 year, with "different women, Givat Haviva Educational Elizabeta Demanovskaya, different times ... same Jewish Foundation. who applied in 1980. WOMENRABBIS values" as its worldng title. Daphne Raz, appointed • Emma Landsman, a Joseph will present a four-part manager of the North Ameri• computer programmer from Eleven woman were ordained series of lectures, open to the can office of the Jerusalem Moscow, with her husband in June as Reform and Recon- public, based on this theme, Post, located in New York. and will also help the organi• Boris and daughter Aviva, who structionist rabbis, bringing to Bertha Reider, 76, a resi• zation weave it through its applied in 1976. 141 the total number of dent of the Jewish Home and programming for the year. • Janna Lemer of Moscow, women ordained since 1972. Hospital for the Aged in New with her husband Valery and Nine women were ordained This is the first time a York, recently read from the son Igor, who applied in 1977. into the Reform rabbinate: volunteer women's organiza• Torah as she celebrated her • Chema Goldort, reunited Esther Jo Adler, of Tarzana tion in North America has Bat Mitzvah before her chil• with her two daughters in Beach CA; Beth Dina David• engaged a scholar-in-residence dren and grandchildren. Ten Israel. Goldort was twinned son, of Sag Harbor NY; Susan on a yearly basis. months ago, when she moved with Sandra Goldberg of Palm Laemmel Fletcher of Hermo into the home, she didn't Imow Beach FL, at Goldberg's Bat sa Beach CA; Lynn Heather a letter of Hebrew. Mitzvah ceremony at age 50. Goldstein of Philadelphia; Victoria Rouff, re-elected • Dorina Paritsky of Khar• Sara Jo Messinger of Scars AWARDS AND president of the Jewish Fed• kov whose father Alexander, dale NY; Miriam Ella Shapiro eration of Broome County New is a former Prisoner of of Van Nuys CA; Maijorie APPOINTMENTS York. Conscience. Slome of Cincinnati; Sue Ann Eileen Bluestone Sherman, • Maria Slepak and hus• Wasserman of Pound Ridge Arlene Agus, appointed as• author of Monday in , band Vladimir, who first ap• NY, and Donna Ilene Green• sistant director of the William and Myra Livingston, author plied in 1970. Maria is a radi• field Adler of Brooldine MA. Petchek PamUy Foundation at of Poems for Jewish Holidays, ologist known by the nickname The Reconstructionist Rab- the American Jewish Com• were the recipients of the 38th Masha. Both were arrested in binicial School ordained two mittee. annual National Jewish Book 1978 for hanging a banner new women rabbis: Barbara Wendy Elliman, a staff wri• Awards for Children's Litera• outside their Moscow apart• Rosman Penzer of Leawood ter for Hadassah Magazine ture. ment stating, "Let us go to our KS, and Amy Zweiback Lev- awarded the Boris Smolar Marilyn SHverstein, a fea• son in Israel" (Alexander was enson of Vineland NJ. Award for Excellence in North ture writer for the Jeurish allowed to immigrate in 1977). American Jewish Journalism. Exponent of Philadelphia, After Vladimir was sentenced Claudia Fogel, elected pres• received the Simon Rockower to five years' exUe in Siberia, ident of the Association of Award for Excellence in Jew• Masha, though given a three- Jewish Vocational Service ish Journalism from the year suspended sentence, NORMAJOSEPH Professionals. American Jewish Press As• voluntarily shared her hus• Shirley Frank, appointed sociation. band's exile. APPOINTED assistant director of commun• Amy Sternberg, elected ications at the National Jew• president of the Jewish Fed• There are reportedly at least 'SCHOLAR-IN- ish Welfare Board and editor eration of the Greater East two groups of women refusen- of the JWB Circle. Bay, in Oakland CA. iks, and one each of families RESIDENCE' and children. One of the larger Billie Gold, appointed pres• Rachel Tannenbaum, asso groups, "Jewish Women for the Norma Joseph, a leading Jew• ident of the Board of Jewish ciate executive director of the Repatriation to Israel and ish feminist author and lec• Education of Greater New Jewish Federation of St. Louis, Survival in Refusal," claims 120 turer, has been appointed York. was the recipient of the members throughout the "scholar-in-residence" at the Beverly Gribetz appointed National Association of Jewish Soviet Union. Women's Federation of Allied dean of Prozdor, the Jewish Vocational Services' Benjamin Jewish Community Services in Theological Seminary's high S. Lowenstein Outstanding They applied to attend the Montreal for 1987-88. school program. Professional Award. international World Congress Susan Tomchin, editor of of Women, held in June in Joseph, a PhD candidate in Gerda W. Klein's book. Women's World, was awarded Moscow, hoping to present a the Religion Department of Promise of a. New Spring: The both the Simon Rockover picture of their lives in refusal, Concordia University, will help Holocaust and Renewal, re• Award for Excellence in Jew• but were denied permission members of the Women's Fed• ceived a Merit of Distinction ish Journalism by the Ameri• because they are not "an offi• eration "enhance their' aware• Citation by the International can Jewish Press Association, cial group." ness of their Jewish values as Center for Holocaust Studies well as their identity as part of of the ADL of B'nai B'rith. and the Boris Smolar Award Writers of unby-Lined stories a Jewish women's organiza• Helen Marcus, elected pres• for Excellence in North Amer• in these pages included Shir• tion." ident of the Syracuse Jewish ican Jewish Journalism. ley Frank, Reena Sigman The Women's Federation Federation. Renee Unterman has be• Friedman, and Julia Wolf and Joseph have worked out a Lucille R. Perlman, ap come the first woman mayor Mazow. thematic approach for the pointed chairperson of the of LoganvUle GA. Issue #18 LUith 7