Author Recounts Decades-Long Struggle Over Soviet Jewish Emigration to Israel
Translated & summarized from Channel 9 by baba
A former activist in Moscow's Zionist movement recounts his decades-long opposition to Soviet Jews using emigration quotas meant for Israel to go to the US instead. He now feels that newer immigrants are trying to reshape Israel into a blend of the Soviet Union and America, disregarding the preferences of earlier immigrants.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Author opposed Soviet Jews using Israel's emigration quota for the US.
- He believed this exploited the efforts of those dedicated to moving to Israel.
- Emigration patterns shifted, with some cities becoming gateways to the US.
- Author feels newer immigrants are trying to change Israel's identity.
- He criticizes newcomers for disregarding the desires of earlier immigrants.
The author, writing in a personal blog, reflects on his past activism in Moscow's "Zionist circles" where he vehemently opposed Soviet Jews emigrating to the United States, believing they were exploiting the emigration quota intended for those seeking to move to Israel. He recounts helping to establish a committee for emigration freedom but insisted it should be for emigration to Israel, not the US. He was angered that "emigrants" (those going to the US) occupied 80% of the quota allocated to those who had fought for the right to move to Israel, leaving only 20% for them.
The author explains that the Soviet government officially stated it would allow emigration to Israel but not the US. He criticizes liberal "humanists" within the Zionist movement who dismissed this distinction, allowing individuals to obtain Israeli visas only to bypass Israel for the US. He contrasts the Soviet perception of Israel as a "desert surrounded by barbed wire" with the clear desire for the higher living standards in America. He notes that while other ethnic groups were denied emigration to their ancestral homelands, Jews were permitted to move to Israel, a fact that fueled envy among other Soviet citizens.
He details how emigration patterns shifted, with cities like Odessa and Ukrainian cities becoming departure points for those heading directly to the US, while regions like the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Baltics continued to emigrate to Israel until later. Eventually, emigration routes were closed off in stages, starting with Odessa and Ukraine, then Moscow and Leningrad, and finally Moldova.
The author expresses that his views have evolved, and he has become accustomed to Israel, describing himself as having "grown into Israel." He now feels that newer immigrants, who arrived with the expectation of American-level living standards and opportunities, are attempting to change Israel into a hybrid of the Soviet Union and America, disregarding the desires of those who were content with Israel as it was. He feels these newcomers, whom he labels as an "intellectual elite" who couldn't reach America, are dismissive of him and his generation, viewing them as "baboons" and aiming to transform Israel into an "Israeli People's Democratic Republic."