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Viewing cable 09VLADIVOSTOK13, AMCIT RABBI ORDERED DEPORTED FOR VISA VIOLATION

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09VLADIVOSTOK13 2009-02-12 18:25 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Vladivostok
VZCZCXRO2764
OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHYG
DE RUEHVK #0013 0431825
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 121825Z FEB 09
FM AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1079
INFO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 0449
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHVK/AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 1178
UNCLAS VLADIVOSTOK 000013 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV CASC KIRF PHUM RS
SUBJECT: AMCIT RABBI ORDERED DEPORTED FOR VISA VIOLATION 
 
1.  On February 12, a district court in Vladivostok declared 
American citizen Rabbi Yisroel Silberstein to be in violation of 
his visa status and ordered him to leave the country.  The rabbi 
had been in Russia for several months on a cultural visa and had 
been working at the Jewish Religious and Cultural Community 
Center of Vladivostok. At the hearing PolOff asked the Rabbi 
whether he saw any political motivation behind his legal problem 
but the Rabbi declined to speculate. 
 
2.  According to the Federal Immigration Service, the rabbi had 
been "engaged in or promoting activities conflicting with the 
stated purpose of his visa."  The judge ruled that his work with 
the center amounted to religious activity, and therefore 
violated the terms of his cultural visa.  According to Russian 
law, any foreign citizen in the country as a religious worker 
must have a residency permit. 
 
3.  The rabbi's lawyers are appealing the case, and a final 
decision -- which could include a fine as well as deportation -- 
will be reached within ten days.  As Silberstein's visa was due 
to expire on February 27, the Rabbi will leave the country by 
then regardless of the ruling.  An adverse ruling would, 
however, make his planned visa renewal and return difficult if 
not impossible. 
 
Just What is 'Religious Work'? 
 
4.  At his hearing, his attorney insisted that the rabbi's work 
consisted of teaching both Jews and non-Jews about the Jewish 
culture, and that none of his work could be categorized as 
"religious work."  The lawyer also took the court to task for 
failing to give concrete examples of the activities that could 
be considered in violation of the visa.  The judge did imply one 
violation by questioning witnesses about Silberstein's role in 
the renovation of an old synagogue in the city.  The rabbi 
asserted that helping to raise funds for the renovation 'as a 
private citizen,' and supervising the work 'to make sure it was 
done correctly' does not amount to religious activity. 
Witnesses for the defense asserted that the rabbi's work with 
the Jewish Center consisted of providing information about 
various aspects of Judaism, such as the language, food, music, 
and holidays, and not the religious aspects of the culture. 
 
Rabbi Mugged Last Year 
 
5.  Late last year, Rabbi Silberstein was the victim of a 
robbery in downtown Vladivostok.  In the early evening of 
November 10, an unknown assailant hit him in the head three 
times with a heavy object and stole his laptop.  The rabbi was 
treated at a local hospital for a mild concussion and other 
injuries and released later that evening.  The next day he left 
Vladivostok for Moscow and Paris on a previously-planned trip. 
 
6.  Comment.  Until his unfortunate assault in November, the 
Rabbi received virtually no press coverage and maintained a low 
profile and had not been a victim of harassment by authorities. 
As yet, there is no indication that the assault and subsequent 
deportation ruling are linked, or are part of a concerted 
campaign against him or his center.  It is possible that because 
of the media coverage of the assault, Silberstein became the 
focus of attention by immigration authorities. 
 
ARMBRUSTER