American Jewish Committee's letter to Morley Safer of CBS (11/20/94)

CONTINUING REACTION TO "60 MINUTES" REPORT

American Jewish Committee's letter to Morley Safer of CBS

Following is the text of a letter sent to Morley Safer, the "60 Minutes" correspondent who reported "The Ugly Face of Freedom," by David A. Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee. The letter is dated November 2 and is reprinted with the author's permission.

Dear Mr. Safer:

The American Jewish Committee was founded in 1906 because of anxiety about the fate of Jews in tsarist Russia and, more broadly, to help insure the security and well-being of Jews both in this country and abroad. It is against this backdrop of deep interest both in actual manifestations of anti-Semitism and the potential for convulsive societal changes that could adversely affect a Jewish community, that I write to share certain concerns about the October 23 segment on Ukraine broadcast on "60 Minutes."

The tragic legacy of vicious anti-Semitism in that part of the world is all too well-known to any student of Jewish history, not to speak of those, like myself, whose families originate there. (My paternal grandmother was from Lvov, then Lemberg.) Moreover, the deep political and geographic divisions within present-day Ukraine, coupled with genuine economic uncertainty, require organizations like our own to be especially careful in the monitoring of potentially worrisome events and trends.

That said, it is our view that the current situation in Ukraine is more complex than portrayed in your segment. Regrettably, this complexity was missing from the broadcast. From our own frequent contact with many Ukrainian Jews, including Rabbi Yaakov Bleich, who was quoted on the air, as well as our visits, most recently this summer, and our regular communication with a wide range of Ukrainian political, cultural, religious and media personalities, we believe there to be important constructive forces at work within Ukraine that seek to establish a society based on openness and tolerance. Whether they ultimately succeed will, of course, depend on many factors. Nonetheless, to simply allow the impression that Ukraine is little more than a hotbed of vicious anti-Semites and nostalgic Nazi collaborators and that, as a consequence, all Ukrainian Jews must, at least by implication, live in mortal fear, is to yield, I fear, to simplistic and stereotypical images unbefitting a program of the quality and sophistication of "60 Minutes."

There are many Ukrainian Jews who have chosen to stay, at least for the foreseeable future, in the country and seek to build their lives there. Moreover, there has been an exciting rebirth of Jewish life in many Ukrainian cities, replete with schools, synagogues and organizations. Absent encouragement and support from key elements of broader Ukrainian society, this clearly would not be the case. This side of contemporary Ukraine was noticeably overlooked.

To me, it is ironic that the last time I wrote to "60 Minutes" was to voice concern about an episode depicting the lives of Jews in Syria, which I felt portrayed a rosier picture than, in fact, was the case. Now I write to suggest that perhaps the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction, notwithstanding my profound appreciation for the interest of "60 Minutes" in investigating situations that potentially could affect Jewish communities around the world.

Please accept my thanks for you consideration of these views and my best wishes.

Cordially,
David A. Harris

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