Читать книгу A Jewish Journey - Sheldon Cohen - Страница 19

“It will be limited. That’s true,” answered Lilienthal.

“This is a massive undertaking. I can’t believe that the Czar will raid his treasury for the benefit of the Jews.”

“It will be financed by a tax.”

“A tax? You can’t lead me to believe that my Christian neighbors will happily pay a tax so that Jews can be educated.”

“It’ll be a candle tax levied on the Jews and collected by the Minister of Education. Whenever Jews buy candles for Sabbath worship, for honoring the dead, for any religious purpose, for lighting, there will be a small tax. The money raised goes back into each community in proportion to the amount of meat tax that is paid. That’ll provide the funds for the Jewish schools.”

“I see. Everything is figured out, but I tell you at risk to me, and I’m sure you have heard this from other Jews, that there’s an ulterior motive underlying all this show of concern for us. That motive is to move our children’s minds away from Judaism.”

“I hear what you say. I’m a Jew, and if I believed that was the case I wouldn’t be involved in what I’m doing and I would leave the country.”

Rabbi Shepsel responded, “What I am telling you will be the majority opinion of most of the Jews of the country. They’ll avoid the schools for fear of their children being proselytized. Those who go will be educated, but will be disappointed when they finish, for even if they’re at the head of their class they won’t be able to enter the mainstream of Russian life except as token Jews for propaganda purposes.”