Jewish Emigres Jam New Soviet Visa Office in Israel

TEL AVIV — Soviet emigres today jammed the first Soviet consular offices in Israel in 20 years, many seeking visas to visit family members in the Soviet Union.

“I haven’t seen my mother in eight years,” said Alex Esipovich, 26, an aspiring Leningrad-born film maker who lives in Tel Aviv with his wife and son.

Not since the Soviet Union broke relations with Israel during the Six Day War in 1967 have the Soviets made it so easy for Jewish emigrants living in Israel to apply for visas for trips back home.

The easing of procedures coincided with a visit to Israel this week by an eight-member Soviet consular delegation headed by Yevgeny Antipov.

An elderly man looked incredulous as a Soviet diplomat handed him an application form.

Tears streamed from his eyes as the diplomat explained that he should fill out the form, printed in both Russian and English, and return the application with 20 shekels ($12.50).

The man said he had not seen his daughter or brothers since he left the Soviet Union nine years ago.

Antipov said visa applications from Israelis would be referred to the Supreme Soviet and the applicants would be notified by mail if they were approved.

Because the two nations have no diplomatic ties, Israelis with approval would be required to travel to a nation with relations with the Soviet Union to pick up the visa at a Soviet Embassy.

Antipov also said that among the Soviet Jews visiting his office were several asking to return to the Soviet Union, although none of the people in the office said that was their intent.

Esipovich said he knows of some Jews, all of them elderly, who do want to return to the Soviet Union. “A lot of people were disappointed here,” he said. “First of all Israel is a very different country,” he said, citing social and climatic differences.

“I expected to see a Western country,” he said. “I found a Middle Eastern country.”