Today

 

The Freedom Struggle of Soviet Jewry

“We are not silent today.” – Elie Wiesel, at the 1987 Freedom Sunday Rally

Celebrate a landmark victory of Jewish experience

In 2012, Jews across America will remember the Soviet Jewry movement and celebrate the 25th anniversary of the historic 1987 Freedom Sunday Rally in Washington, D.C.

It was 25 years ago that 250,000 people gathered on America’s National Mall to open the floodgates for Soviet Jewry, marching, singing and shouting: “Let my people go!” One of the largest marches on Washington in American history, the rally signaled a critical turning point in the 40-year struggle that led to the liberation of 1.5 million Soviet Jews.

The 25th anniversary of the March also marks over four decades since brave Russian Jewish activists – from Alexander Lerner, Vladimir Slepak and Ida Nudel, to Natan Sharansky and Yuli Edelshtein -- began fighting for their freedom from the oppressive and undemocratic Soviet monolith. Their plight was bolstered by American and Israeli human rights campaigns – global efforts that comprised an unprecedented display of Jewish solidarity among people of all ages and from all over the world.

The “Free Soviet Jewry” movement is a landmark victory of Jewish experience and a catalyst for the modern human rights movement. We invite you to celebrate this watershed moment and our history. Get involved in your community, join hundreds of thousands of participants in Freedom 25's Virtual March online, and participate in other activities.