Shota The B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Iyar 5743, May 1983 Aleph Zadik Aleph (AZA) B'nai B'rith Girls (BBG) BBYO JOINS CALL FOR RELEASE OF SOVIET JEWRY On March 15 the World Conference on description of the Jerusalem Conference Soviet Jewry opened in Jerusalem. More by BBYO's N'siah and Grand Aleph Godol, than 2000 participants filled the Binyanei an article by BBG's International Sh'licha Ha-Umah auditorium to overflowing. Dur- suggesting concrete steps every chapter ing the three-day conference, delegates can take, and an article by Jill Potashnick, heard of different aspects of the struggle a BBGer from Atlanta, on how she came of Soviet Jewry. to be so involved in work for Soviet Jewry. BBYO and Noar LeNoar were the only Both Brenda Fishman and Jill Potashnick youth organizations officially represented will be writing regular up-dates and sug- at the conference. gestions for chapter projects for Soviet For BBYO, the Jerusalem Conference Jewry. represented a high point in an on-going We have also included in this issue ex- commitment to the cause of Soviet Jewry. amples of some of the recent work done In this issue of the Shofar, you will find a by BBYOers on behalf of Soviet Jewry. Report from Jerusalem by Judy Altenberg, International Doveret and District 14 N'siah Nechi N'siah, and Adam Petrovsky, Grand Al- Blumenau. eph Godol Highlights of the Conference included a How I Got From the solidarity rally at the Western Wall, and a The emigration rate has plummeted and reception at the Knesset, the Israeli parlia- the iron doors have been bolted shut. ment. Of course holding the Conference in Israel added an important dimension to Involved Editor However, the Jewish people received a new burst of hope as Menachem Begin. the delegates' work. We' like to repeat our thanks to Kirkpatrick, Avital The delegates came away from the by Jill Potashnick the more than a hundred chapters who Shcharansky, and many other important Conference with a new feeling. They felt sent in material for the Advisors Ap- dignitaries joined together in the capital of strongly that Jews around the world are I am your average active member of preciation Issue last month. We offer Israel to fight as a force of over 2000 to refusing to forget our Soviet brethren, and B'nai Birth, "working towards a great our apologies to those chapters who break the chains of bondage of our broth- are realizing that it is our concern to free goal", and until a couple months ago Sovi- sent in material which we were unable ers and sisters in the Soviet Union. The the Prisoners of Zion. With our help-let- et Jewry was just another cause. I had to print for reasons of space-even Third World Conference on Soviet Jewry ters, packages, rallies, and other ac- heard about Soviet Jewry. As a matter of after expanding the issue to sixteen convened in Jerusalem on March 15. This tivities-Soviet Jews will be free to leave fact. I knew more about it than most of my pages. Conference marks a 12-year-struggle for the Soviet Union. BBYO friends; but it made no deep im- This issue is full of material stressing the plight of Soviet Jewry. In hopes of mak- Soviet Jewry is not a new project in pression on my mind. Of course I cared the international side of BBYO. Soviet ing the cause of Soviet Jews known to all, BBYO. Our commitment this year has been that people were suffering, but what could Jewry gets a prominent place, both be- participants discussed ways of combatting extremely deep, and reflects our long- I do? I am only one person. Besides, sit- cause of the Jerusalem Conference the restrictions on emigration from the standing effort to help Soviet Jews. From uations can't possibly be as bad as people and because of the concern which we Soviet Union. the new Soviet Jewry Newsletter (a make them out to be. How is one person in BBYO share with Jews everywhere The opening session of the Conference monthly action alert) to the adoption of a going to free any prisoners or change any for the worsening lot of Soviet Jews. consisted of several impressive presenta- Soviet Jewish teen by each Region and government's mind-least of all me! As There are also several stories on tions by world leaders. Each proclaimed overseas District, BBYO is constantly striv- far as I was concerned, Soviet Jewry would BBYO outside of North America: Noar his or her commitment to fight for Soviet ing for the release of our Jewish sisters always have a place in my mind and LeNoar in Israel, and BBYO in the Jewry and helped to inspire delegates and brothers. In addition, BBYOers around heart, but there was no room for action. United Kingdom in Australia. from over forty countries, Jews and non- the world are working for the release of During our Regional convention, I was In this issue, too, are coupons and Jews alike. B'nai B'rith, a co-sponsor of the refuseniks such as Ida Nudel, and Pris- responsible for planning a program about information about summer programs. Conference, proudly displayed their oners of Conscience like Anatoly Soviet Jewry. It would be nice to say that It's already May. Hurry, and get those commitment with well over 300 members Shcharansky. With the help of Grand Aleph during my research of "Refuseniks" in the applications in! attending. There were also delegates North American Shaliach Robert Kahn USSR, I became motivated-but didn't. You'll also find the first installments from Hillel, the Anti-Defamation League, and International BBG Sh'licha Brenda The shocking facts on paper and in books of what we hope will become regular and over 35 members from Noar LeNoar Fishman, Soviet Jewry programming has were not enough to get me moving. I did, features. Brenda Fishman and Jill Po- (BBYO in Israel) Representing the Interna- become an integral part of chapter pro- however, become interested-which in tashnick have taken on themselves to tional Order of BBYO were Grand Aleph gramming. We speak in the name of any case, was a step in the right direction! write regularly on Soviet Jewry and Godol Adam Petrovsky, International N'siah BBYOers everywhere when we say: LET As it worked out, Joe Perlov, Interna- what we can do to help. This issue also Judy Altenberg, and International OUR PEOPLE GO! tional Shaliach, who had just visited the includes the first Shofar book review. Soviet Union, spoke of his trip and unbe- The reviews are being written by BBYO lievable findings. I learned of real terror, volunteers around the country-more from a person who had seen it with his than thirty BBYOers responded to our own eyes. people's lives threatened December appeal for volunteers. daily the KGB ransacked Re- Your Editor was in the Soviet Union fuseniks' homes on a regular basis", Joe for Pessach, and visited refuseniks in told us. The more facts Joe related, the several cities there. There may be a more horrified I became. "No one is al- story about his trip in the next issue of lowed to emigrate, they're closing the the Shofar. doors It was as if a brick wall had hit Please continue to send stories to Continued on page 3 us. Let us remind you of the basics: the Shofar always prefers stories straight from the chapters, especially for the Happenings section. Send us a black For more on BBYO's and white photograph, if you can. We can return photos if you request that work for Soviet Jewry, when the photo is first submitted. If see page 3 and Brenda possible, send material in typed, dou- Characteristic of the revival of Jewish identity in the USSR despite intense KGB Fishman's letter on ble-spaced, with 1 1/2-inch margins. harassment, activist Sarah Fradkin conducts an unofficial Hebrew class for chil- page 2. Wishing you all a happy Shavuot! dren in Leningrad. This photo was made available to us by the Boston Action Dan for Soviet Jewry and the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry.