The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 75, No. 16, Ed. 1 Friday, January 22, 1988 Page: 5 of 20
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THRESHER News Friday, January 22,1988 5
Rice Hillel's adopted Soviet refusnik to be freed
Alexi Magarik and his one-and-a-half year old son, Chaim.
by Mary Elliott
Alexi Magarik, a Soviet refusnik
adopted by Rice Hillel last year, and
his family have been given permis-
sion to leave the Soviet Union, ac-
cording to Rabbi Sally Finestone, the
group's sponsor.
A refusnik is a Russian Jew or
Gentile who applies for a visa to leave
the Soviet Union and is refused.
These people are often harassed by
Soviet authorities, Finestone said.
Rice Hillel adopted Magarik by
writing him, his family, and officials
in the US and the USSR. When Hillel
started writing, Magarik had been
imprisoned in Siberia under a drug
charge. This charge was trumped,
according to Finestone.
"Alexi's real crime was setting
Hebrew prayers to music. It's illegal
to teach Hebrew in the Soviet Union,"
Finestone said.
Finestone and her husband visited
Magarik, his wife, Natashia Ratner,
and their one-and-a-half year old son,
Chaim, during their ten-day trip to the
Soviet Union last October. She
learned that Magarik had been re-
leased from prision in September and
had received approval to leave the
USSR only two days before her visit.
Finestone was able to see the
Magariks twice during her visit, al-
though she saw Alexi only during her
second visit.
"Natashia was aware that a uni-
versity in Houston was supporting
Alexi, but he didn't know," said
Finestone.
Alexi was a famous cellist in the
USSR before being forced to leave his
job after he requested to leave the
USSR. When asked about his cello,
Alexi said that he had not removed it
from the case since his release. He
showed the Finestones hands which
were burned and blistered from his
prison stay.
Finestone's husband, a concert
Series of events
honors King's birth
by Jennifer Hawkins
More people than were expected
attended events on campus this past
Monday honoring the birth of Martin
Luther King, Jr. Events commemo-
rating the birthday of the civil rights
leader took place all day.
In the morning Black Student
Union members handed out over 200
arm bands to students and faculty
between classes in the academic
quad.
At noon a group of about 60 stu-
dents gathered around a spray of
flowers near Willy's statue for a
minute of silence.
Jones Sophomore Chris Nixon
then read exceipts from the famous "I
Have a Dream" speech and BSU
president Steve McVea spoke to stu-
dents about how the need for people to
"live the dream today."
Billy Taylor, world- renowned
jazz pianist and composer, performed
pianist in the United States, con-
vinced Alexi to play. The two spent
the rest of the visit playing duets. "It
was a very difficult good-bye,"
Finestone said.
Although Alexi's immediate
family should be out of Russia by the
end of this month, Natashia's mother
will be forced to stay in the Soviet
Union. She was not given permission
to leave with her daughter. "Every-
one I met had a mother or a child
BLOOM COUNTY
living in another country... Gor-
bachev said in his last visit to the
United States that only 221 people
were seperated from their families.
You neeid to add a couple of zeros to
that number," Finestone said.
After they are released, the
Magaricks will move to Israel to live
with Alexi's father. However, many
people who are given permission to
leave have their passports revoked
before they leave Russia. Some
and lectured to a full house in Ham-
man Hall at 8 p.m.
Twenty-five students and faculty
gathered again at 9:30 p.m. in the
Brown commons for a candlelight
vigil around campus. The group was
comprised of people of many races
and religions. Several other students
and faculty members joined the group
as they proceeded to each of the col-
leges and to President George Rupp's
home. In the spirit of hope, they sang
several songs, and Chris Nixon again
recited a short excerpt from "I Have a
Dream."
McVea was pleased with the turn-
out for the day's events. He empha-
sized his wish for students to partici-
pate in the events in observance of
King's birthday.
"We should concentrate on the
thoughts and plans of Martin Luther
King, instead of treating the day as
just a holiday," McVea said.
people's passports are revoked at the
airport "Quite frankly, until they get
off the plane in Vienna, leaving the
Soviet Union is still questionable,"
said Finestone.
Rice Hillel is looking for another
family to adopt. They had chosen one
family, but later discovered that this
family had also been given permis-
sion to leave. "The important thing to
remember is that the refusniks are not
breaking the law," Finestone said.
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Wucker, Michele. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 75, No. 16, Ed. 1 Friday, January 22, 1988, newspaper, January 22, 1988; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245682/m1/5/?q=%22%22~1: accessed June 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.