THE SITUATION OF JEWS IN BULGARIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A006500330012-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 20, 2008
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: April 13, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/03/20: CIA-RDP80-00810A006500330012-4
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Th1s material contains information affecting Lhe National Defense of Lhe United States w?lthin the meankiR of the Espfunat;e Laws. Title
18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, Lhe transmission or revelation of which In any manner to an unauthorized person 1s prohibited by lew.
COUNTRY Bulgaria
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
DATE ACQUIRED
REPORT
The Situation of Jews in Bulgaria DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
13 April 19.55
25X1
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5.
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Following the death of Stalin, political oppression of the Jews in Bulgaria
was considerab]y reduced. The Hebrew religion is tolerated, and it does
not seem that the Jews will be treated discriminately.
There are approximately 1,000 Jews in Bulgaria and it is expected that 70
to 80 percent will request expatriation to Israel. In view of this almost
total emigration to Israel, the Hebrew community is indifferent to any
criticism by the Bulgarian Communist government. A Jew prefers private
activity to government work because it is less controlled and more profit-
able. The greater majority of the Jews has been reduced to poverty.
The exodus of the Jews from Bulgaria is partly motivated by their desire to
continue a free life in the land of their forefathers, but chiefly by the
necessity of "freeing themselves from abject poverty",
Many Jewish families are waiting for their children to finish their schooling
before departing for Israel, because they hardly know the Hebrew language.
There are families which send the children to Israel separately, as each
completes his studies; the parents will accompany the last child when he
finishes school.
Many Jews who wish to migrate to Israel cannot earn the cost of the voyage.
Each refugee must take with him enough food to last until they land in
Israel. There is also the cost of the customs duties for any valuables he
takes along with him. For these reasons, expatriation is very often post-
poned.
There is in existence, the Palestine Committee, in Sofia. This committee is
limited in its work to preparing the necessary documents for any Jew who wishes
to go to Israel. The work of the committee, apparently is not blocked by the
political authorities.
The present chief of the Palestine Committee is Alberto Graziano, who resides
in Sofia. His predecessor was Pincas (fnu), who has gone with his family to
live in Israel.
STATE x ARMY
Approved For Release 2008/03/20: CIA-RDP80-00810A006500330012-4
 Approved For Release 2008/03/20 :CIA-RDP80-00810A006500330012-4
Approved For Release 2008/03/20 :CIA-RDP80-00810A006500330012-4