• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

ILLINOIS May 8, THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE THESIS PREPARED UNDER MY SUPERVISION BY ........... .... C R A l f ... ENTITLED..... FROM THl SOVIET UNION IS APPROVED BY ME AS FULFILLING THIS PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF.......... MCUKLOR..01..ARXS... 'Instructor in AmovEDi. HEAD OF DEPARTMENT ........ ~......... ..... ..... ......... ^ OIJt.4 SOVIET ANTI-SEMITISM AND THE CESSATION OP JEWISH EMIGRATION PROM W E SOVIET UNION BY CRAIG M. ROSENBERG 1HESIS for the DEGREE OP BACHELOR OP ARTS IN LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES College of Liberal Arts and Sciences University of Illinois Urbana, Illinois 1984 TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE........ ..................... I INTRODUCTION .............. .......... 1 Chapter I. Soviet Antipathy for Jews .... 8 II. Why the Emigration Began ...... 24 III. Why the Exodus Ended ......... 31 37 NOTES ....................... ........ 39 APPENDIX .................... ......... BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................... 40 PREFACE As an undergraduate preparing a senior thesis for my history degree I gave a fair amount of thought to the necessity or propriety of including a preface in my work, 1 assume that routinely people in my position do not include a preface. How­ ever, I determined that I was obliged to do so in order to give a context to my work and to acknowledge certain people who honestly inspired me to grapple with this most difficult question of emi­ gration of Soviet Jews# or more correctly the lack of emigration of Soviet Jews. I must begin by saying that during the course of my research the composition of my thesis shifted rather sig­ nificantly. I intended to do a systematic Study of what caused the Soviets to so drastically curtail the exodus of the Jews, X learned, though, that one absolutely must consider another issue when dealing with Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union. This issue is the Soviet attitude toward the Jews and their treatment of these pennle. Initially, I felt this was too large an issue to properly address and believed that to deal with it was to create a hopeless nuagmire, I realize now that understanding this prob­ lem (and I must admit that problem is a quite mild word, probably tragedy is more precise) of Jews in the Soviet Union must involve numerous complexities and vagaries# but the pursuit is still worth­ while, This area of study is rich in paradox and contradiction. Moreover, the nature of study must be speculative (since the Soviet government will not honestly comment on what motivated them to end emigration) and therefore can be terribly frustrating^, Nevertheless one has an obligation to honestly investigate the question he faces* In this spirit I have chosen to devote a great deal of consideration to Soviet anti-Semitism: it is the necessary con­ text for the issue of emigration* One must understand that Soviet policy toward the exit of Jews from Soviet society is a facet of Soviet attitudes towards Jews in their society* The cornerstone year in my study is 1979. In this year approximately Si,000 Jews left the U.S.S.R. In 1983 about 1,300 Jewish people were able to emigrate: this represents about two * percent of the total of four years before* And the decline is even worse today. I approach this question as a student of his­ tory. I am trying to understand one dimension of the tragic history of the Jews in the Soviet Union* But the history I study is contemporary, an uncommon situation for an historian* Hence, I find that the study of history and political science becomes tangled at times. I have done my best to deal with this matter as ashistorian. I am not the one to Judge if I have succeeded. Lastly, 1 must state that it is very difficult to deal with such an emotional issue in an unbiased way. I, as a Jew, have very strong feelings on the subJect. I have always tried to remain intellectually honest and open to the evidence. In this pursuit I have been greatly assisted by several people. Fivst, Marillyn Tallman of Chicago Action for Soviet Jewry has b e e n <a wonderful example of what caring people are involved in the movement to save Soviet Jewry. Secondly, I owe a great debt to the staff of the Slavic Library of the University of Illinois *See Appendix ' ® 3 - ! ' * - • '- < ^ * ..,* -- J - , '* 7 lJ;'i®':* f # *»>;* * * ’’*• 5 Jj* i ' -; ' ^ '.«**k' l - ' s .- i"i "■ ' ’ 1 X1 and my Russian friends there. Specifieslly. Irina and George have helped me to see what it is like to be a Jew in the Soviet Union and why they had to leave. Lastly, and most impor­ tantly, I dedicate this paper to Yacov, Janetta and Elina, They know the suffering of the Soviet Jews better than any of us can, for they have been waiting for permission to emigrate for the past twelve years. INTRODUCTION Why did the Soviet union atop letting Jews emigrate? A at raight-forward question, one would logically hope for an equally direct answer. That is the last thing that I am able to offer. I am convinced that no one can ever tho­ roughly know what motivated the Soviets. First, I do not believe that the cessation of emigration was a carefully calculated and thoughtfully advanced policy. I confidently assert that if the hierarchy of the Soviel Union was prepared to honestly address this question none of them would be able to answer it. Their policy of repression of Jewish emigration represents a culmination of numerous anti-Jewish policies. More* over, no one should wonder whether the Soviets would care to honestly deal with this issue. They would not. Inevitably, if one were to ask a Soviet leader why Jewish emigration has ceased he would reply, 11 No more want to leave? all the trouble­ makers are gone." The hundreds of thousands of Jews anxiously awaiting permission to emigrate are positive proof that such is not the case. Therefore, I must begin my thesis by stating that I doubt I will prove anything. This is not to say that I believe my work is inconclusive. Rather, 1 feel all must realize that study of Soviet policy-making has to be speculative in nature. The questions I «n asking are important enough to Justify my inquiries and the need for speculation. While few firm answers -1* Will be forthcoming* careful, educated speculation may certainly advance several reasonabla theories to explain what motivates Soviet Policy* In addition, much knowledge is gained by seeking answers to specific questions and even when clear answers are not found the knowledge gathered during the process of trying to find answers may be invaluable* For example, in attempting to understand the causes of the end of emigration one definitely must try to understand how the course of U*S*-Soviet relations impacts upon their internal policy* One probably will not discern any definitive causal relationship between the state of relations between these two superpowers and specific Soviet internal action* However, one will gain valuable insight into the unique nature of relations between these two superpowers and the ramifications of their relationship. So 1 would say that the lack of ability to show absolute proof is outweighed by the advantages that accrue from this process of questioning* A corollary to the problem of the speculative nature of this study is a problem of methodology* How does one most responsibly gather evidence that will illustrate the problems of Jewish emigration? Again, the best evidence is in the hands of the Soviets* Furthermore, as an undergraduate with a limited knowledge of Russian and access only to the library at my own university, not any archives, X felt an obligation to determine in what way I could make the greatest contribution to an under­ standing of this issue* 1 determined that X would do best to accept my limitations and seafch for ways to creatively capi^ talise on my position. Many scholars more qualified than myself have dealt it length with question# of Soviet Jewry. She statistics they have compiled and the breadth of their studies are most impressive and served as very useful tools to me in my research. I decided that the best way for me to make an original contribution was in the role of a synthesizer* I have tried to devote the maJority of my research to primary sources. And whenever possible I have used statements of Soviet Jews to try to piece together a picture of what it is like to be a in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and what it is like to leave or not to be able to leave. The congress of the United States has been most diligent in holding hearings on the crisis of the Soviet Jews. These hearings have been most useful to me in that the Congressmen have put together an impressive array of experts and people who have actually experienced the gulag that is the Soviet Union. I have spent much time looking through newsletters of American agencies for Soviet Jews and in doing so I have been able to enhance my drawing of the life of a Soviet Jew. The large emigre community at the Uni­ versity of Illinois has also served as an informative and fas­ cinating source. My greatest contribution can be made as one who attempts to bring together the results of historical re­ search and human emotion to try to understand what has hap­ pened to the great movement of Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union. As I have previously mentioned, in order to understand what has caused this movement to grind to a hault one must have a proper context. First, one must understand how the Soviet government feels about Jews.

Load more

  50

Copy Link