Russia dismisses US court ruling to hand over Hasidic Jewish library to NY group
By APThursday, August 12, 2010
Russia refuses to turn over Jewish library to US
MOSCOW — Russia has rejected a U.S. court ruling to turn over a Jewish library to a Hasidic group in New York.
A U.S. judge last week ruled against the Russian government for its refusal to return thousands of manuscripts that once belonged to a Chabad-Lubavitch rabbi. The library was seized by Red Army in Nazi Germany as war booty.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said late Wednesday that the ruling is a “rude violation” of international law.
It said the library was nationalized because its owner, Rabbi Joseph Isaac Schneersohn, had no heirs. Schneersohn was forced to leave Russia in 1927.
The ministry said the library is available for scientific study and worship.
Chabad-Lubavich said it feared some manuscripts were headed to the black market.
