Page 101 - LEIBY

Chapter 12 101

my own former friends who still remained religious. I even
informed on Ya’akov, the last Novardoker bachur in our town
who tried to teach Torah secretly in the attic of our shul. After
that, I met him in the train station. He was handcuffed, and
being led away by a pair of policemen.

“When he saw me, he stared at me with his penetrating eyes
and said ‘Moishe… You know there is a G-d, and one day you’re
going to have to give an accounting of all your deeds.’

“And he was right. Despite my being a die-hard, fanatical
communist, I was arrested during the period of Stalin’s great
cleansing efforts and was released just one year ago so that I
would join the anti-fascist Jewish committee and help in these
ridiculous performances whose main goal is to present a false
picture, as if the Jews of Russia enjoy political independence
and national and cultural prosperity. Michaelis, the Jewish actor
who serves as the committee head, raised 16 million dollars
from American Jews – but not one penny of it will actually
go to benefit the Jews. As soon as the government finishes
exploiting the committee, and extracting from it any possible
profit, we will all be accused of espionage and anti-revolutionist
activities.” He looked at Leiby with a wistful expression, as if
reconciled with his looming fate, and continued, “just as we
hounded the rabbanim and our Jewish brothers, we’ll also be
persecuted… but you, young man, just remember! When you
get to Eretz Yisrael, remember that here in Russia are three and
a half million Jews who long to emigrate to Eretz Yisrael and
dream to live as real Jews. Make our plight be heard! America’s
opinion of us is important to the government here.”

The man fell silent, realizing that perhaps he had said too much.
Leiby also felt that he had heard too much. This man had dared
to say what no one in Russia ever did, and Leiby suspected
that he may actually be a provocateur, trying to lure him into
admitting what he really thought and what he really did. He
nodded off-handedly and left, trying to disappear as quickly
and smoothly as he could between the dismal gray buildings in
the street.