Gathering with Rami Aronzon, Jean & Andrew Balcombe, Carol & Andrew Bender, Zalman Deutsch, Nomi Roth Elbert, Sue & Sid Gordon, Miriam Laufer, Peretz Rodman, Dr. Yaacov Ro'i, Lessa Roskin, and Rae ... Show moreGathering with Rami Aronzon, Jean & Andrew Balcombe, Carol & Andrew Bender, Zalman Deutsch, Nomi Roth Elbert, Sue & Sid Gordon, Miriam Laufer, Peretz Rodman, Dr. Yaacov Ro'i, Lessa Roskin, and Rae Ann Sharfman -- all travellers to meet refuseniks in the Soviet Union in the 1970s-1980s. Moderated by Joshua Reuben Tapper. Recorded at the home of Enid Wurtman in Jerusalem, Israel. Aronzon was sent by Lishkat Hakesher (Israel's Liaison Bureau, also known as Nativ) to Moscow and Leningrad over Passover 1970. A group of refuseniks was then discussing a plot to fill a Soviet airliner with Jews who wanted to emigrate, and hijack it to the West; they disagreed about whether to attempt it, and Aronzon conveyed their question back to the Lishka. Golda Meir responded not to do it. A smaller group famously attempted a scaled-down version of the plan at a Leningrad airport on June 15, 1970. Aronzon notes that the Lishka did not know the wide extent of the underground Jewish network in the USSR. The Balcombes visited refuseniks in Moscow twice, in 1978 and 1979. Jean was an activist with National Council for Soviet Jewry and with Conscience (the Inter-denominational Committee for Soviet Jewry). Andrew was a member of the World Presidium for Soviet Jewry, chairperson of National Council for Soviet Jewry, and activist with Conscience. The Benders were involved in the Soviet Jewry movement in Philadelphia, along with Lorna Adelman, Bernie & Lana Dishler, and Connie & Joe Smukler. Deutsch, along with the late Dr. David Appelbaum, was sent by the late Aryeh Kroll to visit refuseniks in Moscow, Leningrad and Odessa in 1983. He was active in resettling former refuseniks Yuli Edelstein and Yuli Kosharovsky in the Alon Shvut community. Roth Elbert was an activist in Los Angeles with the Women's Campaign for Soviet Jewry (known as the 35's) and in Israel. She is the wife of former Kiev refusenik Misha Elbert, and sister-in-law of prisoner of conscience Lev Elbert. The Gordons were co-chairs of Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry at the University of Pennsylvania, 1977-1979. Laufer was president of the Student Coalition for Soviet Jewry at Brandeis University, 1978-79. She visited refuseniks in the USSR in April 1980. Rodman was sent together with Zvi Leverich (later Levran) to the USSR in spring 1979, while a graduate student at Brandeis University. Ro’i is a professor emeritus of Russian history at Tel Aviv University. He traveled to the USSR in summer 1979, officially to participate in an international congress of political scientists at Moscow State University, but in reality to meet refuseniks in Moscow, Kiev, and Leningrad. Sharfman co-founded Detroit Action Committee for Soviet Jewry. Show less
Poster with photo of Soviet Jewish prisoner Roald Zelichonok against graphic of brick wall, with text saying he was arrested in 1985 and sentenced to 3 years in labor camp.
Poster with quotes and text comparing Arab leaders' attempts to prevent Jewish emigration to Israel in 1944 and in 1990, with a graphic of a Star of David in barbed wire design.
Poster with text and photo of Marina (daughter of Aleksandr) Tiemkin wearing Star of David necklace, who at 13 was forcibly removed from her father and sent for "re-education" for applying to emigr... Show morePoster with text and photo of Marina (daughter of Aleksandr) Tiemkin wearing Star of David necklace, who at 13 was forcibly removed from her father and sent for "re-education" for applying to emigrate with him to Israel. Show less
Poster draft for event with recent Soviet emigre Igor Tufeld that would describe the current plight of Soviet Jews and implication of recent events. Includes photo of Tufeld and recent events liste... Show morePoster draft for event with recent Soviet emigre Igor Tufeld that would describe the current plight of Soviet Jews and implication of recent events. Includes photo of Tufeld and recent events listed in crossword pattern. Show less
