Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923

News Brief

Advertisement

The U.S. Senate commemorated Soviet Jews’ struggle for freedom.

Amid concerns of rising violence against Jews in the former Soviet Union, the Senate last Friday passed a resolution commemorating the 40-year fight for freedom.

Oppressed Jews in the Soviet Union began to push to be allowed to leave in 1967, leading to a mass movement in America for freedom for Soviet Jews. The movement culminated in a 250,000-person march on the National Mall in Washington on Dec. 6, 1987, before then-President Ronald Reagan’s summit with Mikhail Gorbachev.

Since that time, 1.5 million Jews have been allowed to leave the former Soviet Union, though 1 million still remain.

The Senate resolution, sponsored by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn), joins a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives sponsored by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) in calling for recognition of the 20th and 40th anniversary of these milestones.

Anti-semitic incidents in Ukraine, Belarus and the former Soviet Union have spiked of late.

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement