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Russian Speaking Jewry Collection

From 1989 to 1993, it is estimated that about 1.4 million Jews left the Soviet Union in one of the largest mass emigration movements in world history. Some made the decision to leave because of blatant persecution. Others, though they were doing well socioeconomically, sought to leave behind stereotypes and anti-Semitism. Those who left established new communities in Israel, the United States, Germany, and an expanding Russian-speaking Jewish diaspora. And then there were those who could not leave. Every person who applied to leave the Soviet Union risked losing employment, privileges, connection with friends and family, and social status. Jews whose requests to leave were refused earned the label “Refusenik.”

The Refusenik Movement became one of the pivotal political and cultural movements of the last half of the 20th century. Today, significant collections relating to this history are scattered, at risk of being lost, or inaccessible because they are uncatalogued and have not been digitized. As a result, scholars, specialists, and researchers are lacking important sources of information, and the collective memory of Refuseniks and Soviet Jewish émigrés is being forgotten.

The Soviet Jewry Archives will preserve the history of the Soviet Jewish experience and make it accessible to present and future generations to learn from.

The cataloging and digitization of this collection was made possible by the support of Arcadia – a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin.

Subcollections

Alexander Smukler Collection      
Showing search results 1-15 of 25
Федерация еврейских общин России / איגוד הקהילות היהודיות ברוסיה, yarmulke
Федерация еврейских общин России / איגוד הקהילות היהודיות ברוסיה, yarmulke
Yarmulkes
Maker: Federat︠s︡ii︠a︡ evreĭskikh obshchin Rossii
ID: 2023.027.001.013
Date Made: [circa 2000s]; 2000s
Jews in the U.S.S.R. : a weekly information bulletin, Vol. XVII. No. 3, 21 January 1988
Jews in the U.S.S.R. : a weekly information bulletin, Vol. XVII. No. 3, 21 January 1988
Bulletins
Maker: National Council for Soviet Jewry of the United Kingdom and Ireland; Greifer, Nan
ID: 2023.027.001.025
Date Made: 21 January 1988; 1980s
Jews in the U.S.S.R. : a weekly information bulletin, Vol. XVII. No. 26, 7 July 1988
Jews in the U.S.S.R. : a weekly information bulletin, Vol. XVII. No. 26, 7 July 1988
Bulletins
Maker: National Council for Soviet Jewry of the United Kingdom and Ireland; Greifer, Nan
ID: 2023.027.001.026
Date Made: 7 July 1988; 1980s
Jews in the U.S.S.R. : a weekly information bulletin, Volume XIV. No. 40, 24 October 1985
Jews in the U.S.S.R. : a weekly information bulletin, Volume XIV. No. 40, 24 October 1985
Bulletins
Maker: National Council for Soviet Jewry of the United Kingdom and Ireland; Greifer, Nan
ID: 2023.027.001.027
Date Made: 24 October 1985; 1980s
Jews in the U.S.S.R. : a weekly information bulletin, Volume XIV. No. 45, 28 November 1985
Jews in the U.S.S.R. : a weekly information bulletin, Volume XIV. No. 45, 28 November 1985
Bulletins
Maker: National Council for Soviet Jewry of the United Kingdom and Ireland; Greifer, Nan
ID: 2023.027.001.028
Date Made: 28 November 1985; 1980s
Jews in the U.S.S.R. : a weekly information bulletin, Volume XV. No. 38, 9 October 1986
Jews in the U.S.S.R. : a weekly information bulletin, Volume XV. No. 38, 9 October 1986
Bulletins
Maker: National Council for Soviet Jewry of the United Kingdom and Ireland; Greifer, Nan
ID: 2023.027.001.029
Date Made: 9 October 1986; 1980s
Press Informations / Пресс-информация
Press Informations / Пресс-информация
Press kits; folders (containers); documents; agendas (administrative records); lists (document genre)
Maker: Unknown
ID: 2023.027.001.057
Date Made: [1986-10]; 1980s
Glossary
Glossary
Glossaries; photocopies
Maker: Unknown
ID: 2023.027.001.181
Date Made: [circa 1986-1989]; 1980s
Soviet Jewry Council Board Meeting, April 21, 1988
Soviet Jewry Council Board Meeting, April 21, 1988
Minutes (administrative records)
Maker: Soviet Jewry Council (Philadelphia, Pa.)
ID: 2023.027.001.188
Date Made: April 21, 1988; 1980s
Debriefing tips
Debriefing tips
Texts (documents)
Maker: Soviet Jewry Council (Philadelphia, Pa.)
ID: 2023.027.002.003
Date Made: [between 1975-1989]; 1970s; 1980s
Tips for Travelers to the USSR
Tips for Travelers to the USSR
Instruction pamphlet
Maker: United States. Bureau of Consular Affairs
ID: 2023.027.002.101
Date Made: August 1987; 1980s
Information for SFCSJ tourists
Information for SFCSJ tourists
Instructional materials; photocopies
Maker: South Florida Conference on Soviet Jewry
ID: 2023.027.002.108
Date Made: [between 1975-1989]; 1970s; 1980s
Important reminders : do's and don'ts
Important reminders : do's and don'ts
Instructional materials; photocopies
Maker: South Florida Conference on Soviet Jewry
ID: 2023.027.002.109
Date Made: [between 1975-1989]; 1970s; 1980s
Needs Requests, A
Needs Requests, A
Want lists; photocopies
Maker: Unknown
ID: 2023.027.002.148
Date Made: [between 1975-1989]; 1970s; 1980s
Showing search results 1-15 of 25

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