Mrs. Marsha von Duerckheim 
Consul General Embassy of the United States of America 

THE MODERN SLAVES - KEEPING PEOPLE AGAINST THEIR WILL IN ISRAEL 

Dear Madame, 
In the 19th century, the British navy pursued pirate ships, which were involved in the slave trade. Equally, the modern world has to stop the present Russian equivalent of slavery, a move which I heartily applaud. 

In continuation of our conversation from 17.02.2000 at seminar on fundraising, I have to let you know the following: THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM. In our work we met five categories of people kept under compulsion in a foreign country. 

1. Women of former URSS, used for prostitution, brought here forcibly, or, that is the majority, came here by good will and sold afterwards, kept under compulsion in houses of prostitution or sold to somebody's use. Today there are 23 girls in women prison Neve Tirtza meant for deportation, 22 of them from former USSR. Most of them declared that they were kept here under compulsion. According to our information most of these girls are from former USSR or East Europe. Also, there are known cases of bringing "Live goods" from Brazil and Dominican Republic; case of keeping in slavery Israeli women and emigrants from former USSR and Ethiopia. 

2. Children brought to Israel against their will or against the will of one of the parents. 

3. Children sent by their parents to Israel in the frame of the Zionist upbringing program and unwillingly being kept there. Also, boys and girls that are slipped out of school and made slaves in youth gangs. 

4. Old people brought here to get state assistance, mortgage or allowance and left to the fates and without possibility of returning. 

5. People brought here by deceived promises of work and then criminal elements used them as means to get money. 

WHO ARE WE? 

My name is Michael DORFMAN. I'm one of the leading specialists in public organization and public relations in the Russian community in Israel. During 8 years I edited and published a newspaper, was engaged in publicity. I guided the Russian headquarters of the association " One nation - one mobilization " which worked to support Barak's law for mobilization of yeshiva's students. I was political consultant of Jacob Terner, the present city mayor, to Russian questions. I have much experience working in commercial advertisement and public relations. I'm the press secretary of the association "Le Merkhav". We differ from other non-profitable organizations in that that we act within the Russian community. We have much experience in publicity companies, pressure groups. We have found ways of instilling and spreading information among different groups of population. 

WAYS OF SOLVING. 

Accordingly to the accumulated information our organization ' "Le Merkhav" has worked out the following projects: Public relations and installation of advertisement in houses of prostitution and other places of sex-business. 

1. Advertisement material and PR penetration to the world of isolated teen-agers. 

2. Using the 12 steps model of Anonymous Alcoholics in solving problems of people kept by force. 

3. Organization of shelters for slaves. It's a shame that the only place where people are kept before departing from Israel is a prison. 

4. Assistance in leaving. Today people are expelled like criminals, they are too frightened to ask for help. 

BACKGROUND. 

1. During my work as a publisher, an editor of a local weekly magazine "Negev" in Russian language there fell into my hands varoius information about women and children kept in Israel under compulsion. 

In 1994 I undertook to write a report on the topic, collected information about the group of girls in houses of prostitution in Beer-Sheva and Ashkelon in barrack-like style. The girls were not allowed to get out alone, they were brought to the beach, restaurants and shopping places under escort of 2-3 watchmen. To buy a bottle of water, the girls had to pay a watchman 50-60 NIS a bottle. I managed to establish a connection with one of the girls in order to prepare a report. Several people came to my office and threatened my family and me. Finally I didn't make the report, so as not to prevent the girl from escaping from Israel. The information I gathered was sent to the police. It was enough to make a court-case against the owner of the houses of the prostitution, the watchman and other criminals for threatening, extortions and inveigle into prostitution the new immigrants from former USSR. 

2. In 1995 I was in Kharkov (Ukraine) with a mission from the Ministry of Interior (Bureau of Connections with Jews of USSR "NATIV"). There I've obtained information on marketing " live goods " from East Ukraine to the East Mediterranean countries including Israel. Also I followed there several dealers recruiting women for work and for becoming prostitutes. I'm aware of seven cases where girls were taken by force. Besides this, when I was in Kharkov, I received information about a girl by name Helene Diatchenko, who after her family members testimony, was invited to Israel as a musician, but lately kept in Israel by force. I sent this material to "NATIV", but I have no knowledge about her fate. 

3. In 1996 I received information about tourist agent Leonid N. From Beer-Sheva and his employer a certain Alexander from Ashkelon who dealt with illegal import of workers from Ukraine. I met them in order to find out their method to get details. In addition I understood that they were involved in the export of girls who were kept there under compulsion. Among other things I was told about the fate of girls named Slava and Ira from West Ukraine that were used as sexual objects in houses of prostitution in Ashkelon, Beer-Sheva and Tel-Aviv and later on sold to Egypt. I understood also that the company made a business of export of children for adoption and selling girls according to individual orders. I sent the information to the manager of the South department of struggle who Fraud commissar Misha Shauli (later police attache in Moscow). He sent me a detective Ziv to whom I reported. But the criminal activity was not stopped. 

4. In 1997 I was a line producer and in cooperation with the Russian TV company "Top secret" participated in creation of a film about the Russian Jew Gregory Lerner, which was kept in Israeli prison. Also, we made together a series of reports about Russian Mafiosi, which were under trial or in prisons of USA and Switzerland Alexander Taranzev, Mikhailov etc. At that time the question of export of "live goods" against their will was arising repeatedly and we even decided to make a project on this subject. Unfortunately, the finance crash of Russian economy in 1997 put an end to our plans. All collected materials and documents remained in Moscow. 

5. In 1998 I was the leader of the Negev department of the movement "Alternative" that assisted individually the emigrants from former USSR. In 1999 we created the south non-profitable organization "La Merkhav". "La Merkhav" assist children-victims of racism and ethnic violation in Southern schools and in the army. "La Merkhav" sponsors four groups of encouragement of racial victims, acting according to the principle of twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. 
"La Merkhav" opened the hot line for solders and schoolchildren, who suffered from displays of ethnic violation. 

Besides it, we help the children of illegal workers and other people living in Israel illegally to get into kindergartens. We came across the cases when people, especially children, were kept in Israel by force. We provided these data to police and welfare organizations, but we have no impression that the police possess adequate instructions and necessary tools to act properly. 

Given my insufficient knowledge of English it's preferable to provide an interpreter in case of our meeting. 

Sincerely, Michael DORFMAN. 
 

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