Russian Americans Expect Moscow, Washington To Improve Relations, Find Compromise - NGO

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th January, 2021) Russians who live in the United States expect that Moscow and Washington will begin improving relations and try to find compromise, Congress of Russian Americans (CRA) President Natalie Sabelnik told Sputnik, as the diaspora commemorates the 70-year anniversary of a mass wave of immigration to the US.

Several thousands of Russian refugees arrived to the city of San Francisco from the Philippine's island of Tubabao some seven decades ago.

"I think in order to improve relations, there needs to be more communication between both sides and perhaps some compromise," Sabelnik said.

CRA is one of the oldest Russian organizations in the US, operating since 1973 as a non-profit and non-political group, she reminded.

US-RUSSIA RELATIONS BETTER ON PERSONAL LEVEL

Relations between the two countries are not bad when it comes to one-on-one and the more personal level, while politics and major media try to promote them as poor, Sabelnik said.

She expressed regret that previous US President Donald Trump was not able to improve Washington's partnership with Moscow.

"I feel so sorry for Trump that from Day 1, all was against him, sabotaged by media, fake news, only to show him inadequate to run a nation. Many of the things he did probably should have been done differently," she said.

Sabelnik said Russian Americans look forward to improving relations under the new US administration.

"The Democrats go their way and hopefully Joseph Biden will prove a good president. We can only hope and be optimistic. Maybe he indeed will improve US-Russia relations," she added.

CRA organizes a lot of forums and conferences on US-Russia relations, but unfortunately, people with whom Russians need to improve partnership, do not attend these events, so the Russian diaspora cannot do a lot on its own, Sabelnik noted.

"We shall see, and let's hope and trust that our new president will understand that it will only work if both sides work together in an amicable way," she said. "After all, Russia and US have always been allies, both on the same side. If we can work together in space, why not here on earth?"

CELEBRATING 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF IMMIGRATION

Sabelnik, who was 3 years old when she arrived to the US, said due to the COVID-19 pandemic all celebrations are limited.

"It would have been wonderful, if we could do another reception and exhibit this year, as we did five years ago, with the remaining Russian refugees. However, with the on-going pandemic, it's unlikely we can do anything, other than a virtual meet," she said.

Last Sunday, a special thanksgiving church service (moleben) was held at Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco in front of the relics of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco - the person who played a major role in moving Russians from the Philippines to the US.

"It was archbishop John that appealed to the United States government to permit the refugees to the US. His holy prayers were answered when then-California Senator William Knowland visited the Tubabao encampment in 1950 and upon returning to the Washington, DC, introduced a bill to change the Displaced Person's Act to allow the remainder of the refugees into the US," Sabelnik said.

With the passing of the bill, on November 30, 1950 on the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) ship, USS General M. L. Hersey, 620 White Russian refugees arrived in San Francisco, she added. The second ship, USS General W. G. Haan arrived on January 25, 1951 with another 1,117 persons and the final ship of 490 arrived on June 14, 1951. Another 620 refugees came earlier on their own.

Sabelnik was a small girl when she arrived to San Francisco.

"My first recollection upon arrival is that our sponsor gave me a chocolate Hersey bar. I had never eaten, or maybe never seen, chocolate, and much to my dismay, I did not like the taste of chocolate and wondered why he gave me that instead of the food I was used to - porridge or rice," she recalled.

Until she was 5 years old, when she had to go to kindergarten, Natalie did not speak English at all.

"When the teacher asked me what I would like to eat, I drew an Apple on the blackboard," she said. "I remember the first time we walked down Market Street in the financial district. It was Christmas season, and walking along the sidewalk I was amazed at how many feet there were. Remember, I was very small and being on the island, not accustomed to that many people all in one place."

Her family organized special dinners for other refugees in a small apartment.

"Now when I hear those Names, I understand how much those people gave up, how much they did to preserve Russian culture, language and pride. Then, they were just my parent's friends, who came from similar backgrounds," Sabelnik said.

RUSSIANS IN US MAINTAIN LANGUAGE, CULTURE

Sabelnik expressed pride that the Russians were able to maintain their language, culture and Orthodox faith in the United States.

"It was by their generous donations that many churches were built, fundraising for not only schools and churches, but for Russian veterans of WWI (until every last one was gone), impoverished, handicapped, blind, orphaned Russian children not just in Russia, but throughout the world," she said.

Her family, while they were not middle class at the time, always donated money to those who needed.

"My mother would tell me the message by Christ: give to the less fortunate than yourself, and you will receive. The new Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco, where the relics of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, was built strictly by donations from parishioners and fundraising - no grants, no subsidies," she recalled.

Russians had to assimilate in the US but were able to keep their roots, CRA president said.

"There was a very large Russian community that would get together and do fundraisers - there were no grants or subsidies and all organizations worked together raising money by hosting Grand Balls, luncheons, concerts, various events to showcase Russian culture and language. Almost immediately, a Russian school was organized at the original Holy Virgin Cathedral," she noted, adding that several other schools have been started in other churches.

For Russian Americans, there is a deep pride in being Russians, but also a deep gratitude for being in the US, Sabelnik noted.