Rebuttal part 7: Yana. Please don't pass it on

With some students. Not one of them is a Halachic Jew.






7. The next letter was written anonymously (though I suspect Yana wrote it), and sent first to the presidents of many communities in Russia, and then somehow made it’s way to the Russian media.

Here are its points (minus the ones addressed in the last letter):

1. History of Jews in Russia and Stavropol.
2. Rabbi was accepted by community faithfully
3. Community lost all its financing with appointment of Rabbi
4. He used the money to rent a 5 room apartment in the city center
5. And flew to Canada with his family weekly
6. Kosher food which should be distributed to the community disappears
7. Veterans received no victory day holiday because of him
8. He threatened to carry out a mass protest in the streets of Stavropol to draw attention to the problems of Jews in Russia
9. He intended to publish articles in local newspapers about his opinions on Jews
10. When the community addressed the Rabbi, he told them he doesn’t need us
11. He has a dozen or so supporters
12. Eventually, his actions drew the attentions of the authorities who approached him
13. Numerous letter to Rabbi Lazar went unanswered

Ok, let’s start with point 1, in which I find a little embellishment of the facts, making it sound like before I was around Stavropol was utopia. But the truth is I have no proof that it wasn’t.

Point 2 – Rabbi was accepted by community faithfully. It’s lots of fun when two people trying to lie write different letters. This totally contradicts point 1 of the last letter by Oleg Pushkantser. Apparently here not only was I devout, but the community also ‘faithfully’ accepted me

Point 3 – Community lost all its financing upon appointment of Rabbi. Oh, so easy to prove. It took a year for that to happen. The Federation can probably send you enough proof. After all, they needed to file reports to them for a year straight. And if they lost financial aid immediately, why did it take up til now for this letter to go around?

Point 4 – He used the money to rent a 5 room apartment in the city center. I was originally in a hole on Rosa Luxemburg, then in another hole for many months on Lermontova and Pushkina, and finally moved to a beautiful new apartment in the city center two months before I was deported (and half the papers to prove it). The apartment is officially a “3-room”, but if you count 2 bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, and a toilet then you get 5 rooms. A stretch, but it works. So up til I moved, how was I spending that money? And besides, what made you decide that it was on community money?

Point 5 – He flew weekly to Canada with his family. This would explain my apparent oddities. My family and I would be extremely jet-lagged all the time. Oh, this is too easily provable. Next.

Point 6 – Kosher food disappears. From which program? Specify, please. Because any kosher food I have received for free I have distributed for free, and any kosher food I have bought, I have sold.

Point 7 – Veterans received no victory holiday because of him. Veterans day was celebrated last year. I even gave a speech. True, I gave no money toward the holiday, but it still happened. I do admit though, that it may have not been the right thing to do, and therefore tried to make up for it on ‘mens day’, when I had someone deliver packages of food to all veterans.

Point 8 – Threatened to carry out a mass protest. To who? When? Where? And why would I ever do that? This is the most ridiculous accusation yet, and anyway completely not my style. This is baseless, and anyone can read through this and the next lie.

Point 9 – And write opinion pieces in newspapers. I was interviewed once by a newspaper. Where is proof of this claim? This is ridiculous! It would be like me saying “and Yana was planning to throw an atomic bomb on all the worlds mosquitos.” Show me proof! It’s also not my style. And I can barely write Russian!!!

Point 10 – When the community addressed the Rabbi, he said he doesn’t need us. Which community are you talking about? The board? Ok, when? Look at the times of each meeting. Where did I say that? To the Jewish community? Who put together 189 signatures asking for my return? Did I say this in English? In Russian? When? Where?

On the contrary, Yefim publicly stated he doesn’t need me (in front of several sponsors, discussing this past Purim). Just ask them. Contact me for the list of people to ask.

Point 11 – He has a dozen or so supporters. Then how did 189 people sign a petition for my return? How were 25 people waiting in my apartment the night I was ‘arrested’? How do I have over 50 friends from Stavropol on my odnoklassniki list? How did over 100 people show up to the Torah event?

Point 12 – His actions drew the attention of the authorities. Actually, the letter sent by Oleg Pushkantser drew their attention, as it clearly states there.

Point 13 – Numerous letters to rabbi Lazar went unanswered. That I cannot defend, but I know he answered me, and I have all the letters to show for it. He was deeply involved with what was going on in Stavropol. Strangely, none of the contracts are mentioned. Why?





That finished my defence, pretty much. I spewed, and it was incredibly therapeutic. I feel like a weight was taken off my shoulders. Now I can move on with my life. Let’s hope it continues back in Stavropol.