Baltimore, Md - Mar. 14, 2016 - If you are a Baby Boomer, like me, you might recall, as a student back in the 70s, reciting Tehilim and/or joining demonstrations held all over the world for Natan Sharansky. The Donetsk, Ukraine native, born in 1948, who grew up with the anxiety, stress, and fear of being constantly watched by the KGB--as did his fellow compatriots--was denied an exit visa to Israel in 1973. That incident inspired him to become an activist in the human rights movement in the USSR and an internationally known spokesperson for the Moscow Helsinki Watch Group, as well as one of the founders and spokesmen for the Jewish and Refusenik movements in Moscow. In 1977, Natan Sharansky was arrested and later convicted of treason and spying for the United States. He was sentenced to 13 years of forced labor in a Siberian prison. The child chess prodigy and international chess champ credits his saved sanity, while in solitary confinement, to the thousands of games of chess he played in his mind.
Thankfully, as a result of the increasing pressure of an international campaign spearheaded by Natan’s wife, Avital, he was released in 1986, after 9 years. Natan was subsequently exchanged for a pair of Soviet spies, after he was brought to East Germany and led across the Glienicke Bridge to West Berlin. He was finally able to live out his dream of emigrating to Israel, where he decided to go by his Hebrew name, Natan.
In 2009, Natan Sharansky became the Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, the largest nonprofit Jewish organization in the world. It serves as the main link between the Jewish state and Jewish communities everywhere, facilitating aliyah, addressing emergencies in Israel, and rescuing Jews from countries where they are at risk, among their other vital work. Prior to his appointment at the Jewish Agency, Natan founded and presided over the Zionist Forum, served as Associate Editor to The Jerusalem Report, was a Board member of Peace Watch, served as Minister and Deputy Prime Minister for 9 years in the Israeli Knesset, and was the chairman of the Adelson Institute for Strategic Studies as well as the Chairman of the Board of Beit Hetefutsot. In 2008, he received the Ronald Reagan Freedom Award from President George W. Bush--only the fourth non-American to receive both the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
I had the honor of speaking to Mr. Sharansky prior to his upcoming Dahan Annual Lecture at Beth Tfiloh Congregation, Tuesday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m. His topic is: “Israel and Its Relationship to the World Jewish Community”. There will be complimentary admission and open seating at the Dahan Annual Lecture which will be held in the Dahan Sanctuary.
MP: What was it like for you to grow up as a Jew in the Soviet Union?
NS: For quite a number of years, we knew nothing about our Jewishness--we didn‘t have a brit milah, bar mitzvah, Pesach, or Purim--they didn‘t exist for us--but we knew very well that we were Jews because that is what was written in our parents‘ ID cards. There was nothing good about being a Jew; there was no such thing as Jewish identity, there was no such thing as anti-Semitism. To be a Jew was like to be born with some very bad disease and people had to know how to adjust themselves to live with this disease….Because you are a Jew, I was taught, you must be the best in your class--the best in physics, or mathematics, or chess, or music, it doesn’t matter what; because if you are best in your profession, you will manage. That was all my Jewish identity for the beginning years of my life. .
MP: What inspired you to learn about Judaism?
NS: The real change in my life was when I was already 18 years old, in 1967, when Israel defeated their enemies in The Six Day War, and Soviet Union was humiliated. What was really important was that we saw that people around you--those who love you, those who hate you, everyone--connects you with Israel. What does this connection mean? That when you started reading the books that were brought by tourists, through the underground, and started reading about our identity and the State of Israel, suddenly, you discover that there is a great history that you want to be part of; there is a great nation, and they all want to help you; and there is a State that you really want to live in. So, for us, our Judaism and spirituality came with solidarity with Israel, then with interest in the history of these people, then the feeling of solidarity with all the Jews--their parents were all from the same place as your parents; they all wanted to help.
MP: When did you become shomer Shabbos?
NS: When I came to Israel I became shomer Shabbos. During the 9 years that I was in prison and did not see my wife, she was chozer b’teshuva. She did not try to impose anything on me, but she said this was the way I am living now and I accepted it. It was second nature for me to join my wife in her life in Israel, the way she had already started living. I decided to have my brit milah at the age of 26. We had a protest planned for the next day in Moscow and I didn't want to cancel it; I was arrested and stayed in prison for 15 days. I had my bar mitzvah at the age of 65, a few years ago in Israel, in my synagogue. All the sufganiot they throw at you, the grandchildren take!
MP: Can you please address the topic of anti-Semitism today?
NS: The most important battlefield of the Jewish people is the American college campus, because there are hundreds of thousands of Jews who are hesitant between whether to feel embarrassed about what they hear about Israel or to be proud of their connection, and so we have a special program at the Jewish Agency, The Israel Fellows Program [that places young Israelis to serve as ambassadors on American college campuses]. Their aim is to convince Jews that they have nothing to be embarrassed of--they can be proud of their connection to Israel, so they will remain Jewish. That is their main job.
MP: As the Chairman of the Jewish Agency, please describe some of the things you do.
NS: The Jewish Agency is responsible for connecting Israel and Jews of the Diaspora, and working with those who want to make aliyah. This year, 31,000 Jews made aliyah and we are helping them do it. We are bringing tens of thousands of young Jews to Israel , on different programs and Israeli experiences. We sent almost 2,000 shlichim (representatives) to summer camps and universities all over the world, and we are trying to open up a dialogue between different parts of world Jewry--Jews who live in different countries and Jews who live in Israel-- who are having challenging issues, such as the Women of the Wall issue.
MP: Thank you, Mr. Sharansky, for your time.
NS: You are welcome.
