Posted By James Besser
A Life Changing Event: Remembering the 1987 March / Mark Levin, executive director, NCSJ: Advocates on Behalf of Jews in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States & Eurasia
This week marks the 20th anniversary of one of the most important events in post-Holocaust Jewish history -- the December 6, 1987 Soviet Jewry March in
I was fortunate to be part of the planning effort in mobilizing more than 250,000 Americans from all walks of life to participate in the March. It is an experience I have never forgotten, and forever has changed what I believe we accomplish as individuals and as a community.
This event transformed our community and expedited the release of hundreds of thousands of Jews from the
My organization, NCSJ, formerly known as the National Conference on Soviet Jewry, joined together with every segment of the organized American Jewish community as well as those groups outside of the organized community to pull off one of the great feats in our community's history. We had little over a month to organize the March and Rally. It required a Herculean effort by a steering committee willing to put aside -- for the most part -- our organizational egos to ensure a successful day.
And what a day it was!
Jews and non-Jews of all ages from across North America, former Refuseniks and Prisoners of Zion, elected officials, religious, labor, and educational leaders, prominent entertainers, and many others marching down Constitution Avenue and pouring in from other Washington, DC streets to the foot of Capitol Hill to send a simple, powerful message on the eve of Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev's summit meeting with President Ronald Reagan.
I did not get to march on December 6th because of my responsibilities at the Rally site.
However, as I was standing on the stage watching people arrive from every direction possible, an incredible sense of accomplishment and pride rushed through me. Unlike my parents and grandparents who had to ask themselves why our community didn't do more to save Jews during the Holocaust, at that moment, I knew we were and would continue to do whatever was necessary to save Jewish lives in the
The day itself was a blur. It was a long program, but a powerful one. Recently freed Soviet Jewish leaders lit candles with their American supporters. The Vice President of the
As the sun began to set over the magnificent
I continue to work on behalf of Jews in the former
I still apply today the many lessons learned over twenty years ago. But the most important lesson remains -- when the American Jewish community works together, puts aside our differences, anything is possible.