It was the greatest exodus since, well, the Exodus.
More than 2 million Jews, suffering under oppressive, anti-Semitic rule, made their way out of the Soviet Union to a better life in Israel and the West, thanks to their own courage and a relentless worldwide effort.
The Soviet Jewry movement was, as one historian put it, American Jewry’s “finest hour.” Starting 40 years ago and building up steam with each passing year, thousands of American Jews and non-Jews lobbied Congress, visited refuseniks in the USSR and took to the streets shouting, “Let my people go.”
Though it took decades, the pressure wore down the Soviet Union, which ultimately opened wide its gates, then promptly collapsed as a society. A million Jews went to Israel; another million settled in America, Europe, Australia and elsewhere.
Our cover story this week examines multiple aspects of the movement, particularly the critical role Bay Area activists played, especially the Bay Area Council for Soviet Jews (now called the Climate of Trust Council).
A combination of factors made this region important: visionary leaders, a highly visible target in the Soviet consulate and the Bay Area’s grand tradition of street protest. It proved an explosive alchemy that helped turn the tide of history.
Today, the Bay Area is home to a thriving émigré community. Many Russian-speaking Jews have found economic prosperity and connections to a religious tradition long denied them.
Local leaders of the Soviet Jewry movement can look back with pride. Their commitment and dedication was all the more amazing considering they faced what seemed to be an indestructible foe.
A few weeks ago, we ran a story about the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee’s work abroad. The article pointed out that there is today no Jewish population anywhere in need of rescue. With the Soviet Jewry movement and, then, the rescue of Ethiopian Jews, we as a people can claim total global success in carrying out that most important of mitzvahs: pidyot shvuyim (redeeming the captive).
This is true perhaps for the first time since the biblical era. Obviously, anti-Semitism and other serious problems remain. Regimes now tolerant could easily turn dangerous for Jews, but we cannot overstate the significance of this achievement.
None of this happened because the world suddenly became a benign place for Jews. It happened because Jews took matters into their own hands. When we said, “Never again,” we meant it.
We salute all the local clergy, community professionals and lay activists who talked the talk and walked the walk for Soviet Jewry.