From the History of the Jewish Movement

Let my people go!

Badges of Jewish Human Rights Organizations Issued at Summits with Soviet Leaders

By Dr. Vladimir Bernshtam

In the 1960s to 1980s, Soviet Jews fought for the opportunity of free repatriation to Israel, the right to lead a Jewish way of life in the USSR, and the release of Soviet “prisoners of conscience” [1]. Jews worldwide, especially those in the United States and Israel, supported them in this struggle. Many collectible items, including badges and medals, were produced during this time, serving as symbols of resistance and solidarity. The author’s goal is to describe and systematize these badges and medals, a topic he has already explored in several articles [2 – 6]. This current note, continuing the series of these publications, focuses on badges issued by various human rights organizations during summits between political leaders from the United States and Canada with Soviet leadership. The author provides descriptions of the badges they are aware of, following a chronological order of their issue.

In October 1971, Soviet Premier Kosygin visited Canada as a guest of the Canadian government. Rabbi Gunther Plaut led a picket of sixty rabbis wearing prayer shawls and carrying prayer books at the gates of the Soviet Embassy. The participants of the picket accused the Soviet government of persecuting Jews, attempting to eradicate their national identity, and fanning anti-Semitism. They demanded the opportunity for Jews to develop their culture, practice religious rituals, and have the freedom to emigrate to Israel. On October 19, approximately 7,500 Canadian Jews marched through the center of Ottawa, demanding freedom of emigration for Soviet Jews [7, 8]. A metal badge with a diameter of 4.5 cm (Fig. 1) is dedicated to these events.

Fig. 1

In the early 1970s, there were three meetings between U.S. President Richard Nixon and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Leonid Brezhnev. The author is aware of badges issued by Jewish human rights activists in the USA during the 1972 (Figure 2) and 1973 (Figure 3) summits. The 1972 badge was issued by the Student Coalition for Soviet Jewry (SCSJ), which was founded in 1964 by Jacob Birnbaum to be a spearhead of the U.S. movement for the rights of the Jews in the Soviet Union. The organization brought together hundreds of students from approximately 50 American universities. The badge related to the summit held in Washington in June 1973 was issued by the National Conference on Soviet Jewry (NCSJ). This organization was established in 1971 to advocate for the rights of Soviet Jews and played a significant role in the struggle for these goals during the last two decades of the Cold War.

Fig. 2 Diameter – 5.7 cm.	Fig. 3 Diameter – 5.7 cm.

From December 8th to 10th, 1987, a meeting took place in Washington between President Ronald Reagan and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev. Before the summit, the National Conference on Soviet Jewry (NCSJ) formed a coalition of nine public organizations to mobilize public support for the right of Soviet Jews to emigrate. Rallies and other events were held in the United States and Canada. David Harris, a representative of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) in Washington, was selected as the national coordinator for a massive demonstration. (The AJC is a Jewish organization in the USA dedicated to protecting the rights and interests of Jews in the US and other countries. It was founded by German immigrants in 1906, following another wave of pogroms in Russia.) The demonstration occurred on December 6th, with approximately 250,000 people in attendance. Representatives from Jewish organizations, public figures, and politicians participated, including Vice President George Bush, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Bishop William Keller from the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Dr. Ari Brauer from the National Council of Churches, and Elie Wiesel, the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The author knows five badges related to this event (Figures 4–8). In a photograph (Figure 9), Natan Sharansky and Vladimir Slepak are depicted at the demonstration on December 6th. On Slepak’s coat, the badge shown in Figure 6 is visible.

Fig. 4 Diameter – 5.6 cm	Fig. 5 Diameter – 5.6 cm	Fig. 6 Diameter – 5.6 cm

Fig. 7 Diameter – 5.7 cm. NCSJ released	Fig. 8

Fig. 9 Former refuseniks Natan Sharansky, left, and Vladimir Slepak, along with Elie Wiesel and American Jewish leader Shoshana Cardin, right, at a march on Washington, D.C., in support of Soviet Jewry, Dec. 6, 1987. (Peter Turnley/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images) Photo from [9].

In late spring of 1988, the final meeting between President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev took place in Moscow. Before the American delegation departed for the summit, Jewish organization leaders presented a memorandum to Secretary of State George Shultz, demanding free emigration for all Jews who wished to leave and full cultural, religious, and educational rights for those who remained. In Moscow, President Reagan met with a group of refuseniks. The 1988 Moscow Summit in May-June resulted in an increase in exit visas and the liberalization of cultural and religious life for Soviet Jews. Badges related to the 1988 summit, depicted in Figures 10 and 11, were issued by the National Conference on Soviet Jewry (NCSJ).

Fig. 10 Diameter – 5.7 cm.	Fig. 11 Diameter – 5.7 cm.

The author does not believe that he has managed to describe all the badges issued by Jewish human rights organizations related to the summits. He appeals to readers who have information about such badges or additional information about the badges described here to share it with the author (fnbern@gmail.com). The author is grateful in advance to such readers.

Bibliography:

1. Michael Beizer, The Jews of Struggle: The Jewish National Movement in the USSR, 1967-1989 https://www.soviet-jews-exodus.com/English/JewishHistory_s/JewishHistoryBeizerExh_En.shtml.

2. V. Bernshtam, “Medallions “Let my people go” Numismatics and Faleristics, №3, p. 24 – 26, 2017. В. Бернштам, “Медальоны “Отпусти народ мой” Нумизматика и Фалеристика, №3, с. 24 – 26, 2017.

3. M. Beizer, V. Bernshtam, Badges of the Center for Information on Soviet Jewry, Numismatics and Faleristics, №2, p. 37, 2021. (in Russian) М. Бейзер, В. Бернштам, Значки Центра информации о советском еврействе, Нумизматика и Фалеристика, №2, с. 37, 2021.

4. M. Beizer, V. Bernshtam, Badges of the organization "Struggle of students for Soviet Jews", Numismatics and Faleristics, №3, p. 32 – 34, 2021. (in Russian) М. Бейзер, В. Бернштам, Значки организации «Борьба студентов за советских евреев», Нумизматика и Фалеристика, №3, с. 32 – 34, 2021.

5. V. Bernshtam, Let my people go Medallions with the names of prisoners of conscience, “Shekel” v. 56, 4, p.19 – 33, 2023.

6. Bernshtam V, "Natan Sharanskyi in medals and badges", "Thiya", No. 10, 2023. Бернштам В, “Натан Щаранський у медалях і значках“, “Тхiя”, №10, 2023.

7. Wendy R. Eisen, Canadian Soviet Jewry Movement, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, May 2015. https://jewishtoronto.com/wendyspeech

8. Jay Walz, Canadian Jews March to Press Kosygin on Emigration The New York Times, Oct. 20, 1971.

9. Michail Fridman, How a march to save Soviet Jews changed America — and the world, Jewish Telegraphic Agency ,DECEMBER 6, 2017, https://www.jta.org/2017/12/06/ideas/how-a-march-to-save-soviet-jews-changed-america-and-the-world.

10. Fred A. Lazin, The Role of Ethnic Politics in U.S. Immigration and Refugee Policy: The Case of Soviet Jewry, The Center for Comparative Immigration Studies University of California, San Diego, February 2009.