Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry

The Center for Russian Jewry (CRJ) with Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry (SSSJ) was founded by Jacob Birnbaum in 1964. Prior to 1963, the American Jewish community had taken little public interest in or action regarding the condition or fate of Soviet Jewry. The situation changed after a resurgence of virulent anti-Semitism in the Soviet Union in 1963. The civil rights movement in the United States came to maturity during the early 1960s and made open protest and even civil disobedience accepted tactics for trying to induce change. In addition, the equal rights agenda of the civil rights movement increased sensitivity and concern for human rights in other parts of the world as well. The legacy of the civil rights movement in conjunction with growing oppression in the Soviet Union led to the formation of the CRJ/SSSJ. Birnbaum had recently arrived in the United States from England. In England he had been active in Jewish communal issues, and he had also worked with Moroccan Jewish refugees in North Africa and France. Based on these experiences, Birnbaum felt that students were more likely to respond to calls to action than their elders and that the creation of a mass movement of students would exert effective pressure on the established Jewish leadership. A meeting was held at Columbia University on April 27, 1964. The meeting generated a call for a mass demonstration on May 1 at the Soviet Mission to the United States. 1,100 students from New York area high schools and colleges came to the rally, despite the scant few days available to plan the protest. The event drew national press and television coverage, and thus the CRJ/SSSJ was formed. The CRJ/SSSJ was the only organization with a full-time staff devoted exclusively to Soviet Jewry. Jacob Birnbaum and Glenn Richter worked full time for the organization. In contrast to the major Jewish organizations which sponsored one or two drives a year on behalf of Soviet Jewry, the CRJ/SSSJ tried to hold weekly, and sometimes even daily, events and to provide a steady flow of information and press releases to the media and to other organizations. The organization formed chapters across the United States and regions sponsored their own local activities. The objectives of these activities were to pressure the Soviet government directly, to move the United States government to intervene with the Soviet government, and to boost the morale of Soviet Jews. After the Six Day War in 1967, the desire of Soviet Jews to leave the country and move to Israel increased. In addition to the goals mentioned, the CRJ/SSSJ now also focused its energy on getting permission for Jews to emigrate. Individuals began to request exit visas and the Soviet Union's refusal to honor their requests created the "refusenik." CRJ/SSSJ sponsored rallies and campaigns focused on individual "refuseniks." It was easier for people to identify with individuals than with Soviet Jewry as a whole. These activities continued on a large scale and contributed to unlocking the iron doors of the Soviet Union. The CRJ/SSSJ also tried to help find appropriate employment for Soviet Jews who came to the United States. The organization ceased its public activities in the United States with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, although Jacob Birnbaum continues to aid individuals and communities in the former Soviet Union.

The Center for Russian Jewry (CRJ) with Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry (SSSJ) was founded by Jacob Birnbaum in 1964. Prior to 1963, the American Jewish community had taken little public interest in or action regarding the condition or fate of Soviet Jewry. The situation changed after a resurgence of virulent anti-Semitism in the Soviet Union in 1963. The civil rights movement in the United States came to maturity during the early 1960s and made open protest and even civil disobedience accepted tactics for trying to induce change. In addition, the equal rights agenda of the civil rights movement increased sensitivity and concern for human rights in other parts of the world as well. The legacy of the civil rights movement in conjunction with growing oppression in the Soviet Union led to the formation of the CRJ/SSSJ. Birnbaum had recently arrived in the United States from England. In England he had been active in Jewish communal issues, and he had also worked with Moroccan Jewish refugees in North Africa and France. Based on these experiences, Birnbaum felt that students were more likely to respond to calls to action than their elders and that the creation of a mass movement of students would exert effective pressure on the established Jewish leadership. A meeting was held at Columbia University on April 27, 1964. The meeting generated a call for a mass demonstration on May 1 at the Soviet Mission to the United States. 1,100 students from New York area high schools and colleges came to the rally, despite the scant few days available to plan the protest. The event drew national press and television coverage, and thus the CRJ/SSSJ was formed. The CRJ/SSSJ was the only organization with a full-time staff devoted exclusively to Soviet Jewry. Jacob Birnbaum and Glenn Richter worked full time for the organization. In contrast to the major Jewish organizations which sponsored one or two drives a year on behalf of Soviet Jewry, the CRJ/SSSJ tried to hold weekly, and sometimes even daily, events and to provide a steady flow of information and press releases to the media and to other organizations. The organization formed chapters across the United States and regions sponsored their own local activities. The objectives of these activities were to pressure the Soviet government directly, to move the United States government to intervene with the Soviet government, and to boost the morale of Soviet Jews. After the Six Day War in 1967, the desire of Soviet Jews to leave the country and move to Israel increased. In addition to the goals mentioned, the CRJ/SSSJ now also focused its energy on getting permission for Jews to emigrate. Individuals began to request exit visas and the Soviet Union's refusal to honor their requests created the refusenik. CRJ/SSSJ sponsored rallies and campaigns focused on individual refuseniks. It was easier for people to identify with individuals than with Soviet Jewry as a whole. These activities continued on a large scale and contributed to unlocking the iron doors of the Soviet Union. The CRJ/SSSJ also tried to help find appropriate employment for Soviet Jews who came to the United States. The organization ceased its public activities in the United States with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, although Jacob Birnbaum continues to aid individuals and communities in the former Soviet Union.