I first learned about Anatoly Shcharansky, as he was then called, in 1973 when I lived in Israel. I remember his arrest in 1977 and his trial and conviction in 1978. His crime was being Jewish and wanting to move to Israel.
He was offered the opportunity to speak to the court prior to his 13 year conviction. His words are etched in modern Jewish history: “To the court, I have nothing to say. To my wife and the Jewish people, I say ‘Next year in Jerusalem.’” I remember hearing those words and crying.
I have watched from the sidelines as this modern day hero has shaped Jewish activism and Israeli politics. Could he ever have imagined in the nine years of solitary confinement of the Soviet Gulag that one day his books on democracy and identity would be read by American presidents, that one day he would receive the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor?
I want to share with you one moment from the selection process. Natan rose to the dais to give his acceptance speech and he recalled the day when he and another prisoner of Zion — Yosef Mendelevich — decided to celebrate Israeli Remembrance Day and Independence Day in prison.
They carefully calculated the exact moment of Israel’s national siren, the siren that calls the country to a halt in honor of the soldiers who gave their lives in Israel’s all too many wars, and then sang “Hatikvah” at the top of their voices in their solitary confinement cells of the Chistopol prison.
They dreamt that one day they would join their Israeli brothers and sisters so far away. At that point, it was an impossible dream. But even then they felt connected to Jews in Israel and the world over.
As Natan stood at the podium recalling that point in time, he brought us all into that dream and its reality. The Jewish Agency was created in 1929. Its first chairman, David Ben-Gurion, morphed the original organization into the government of the new State of Israel, as he became its first prime minister.
It has helped secure the immigration of 3 million Jews to Israel and has helped Jews all over the world live in safety and strengthen their ties to Israel and the Jewish People.
Natan is no longer singing “Hatikvah” behind the iron bars of the Soviet Gulag. He will now be the head of the choir in our Jewish homeland.
Much remains to be done. The greatest challenge is maintaining and strengthening our and the next generation’s connection and commitment to the Jewish people and the Jewish state.
We don’t have enough heroes today, certainly not enough Jewish heroes. But let us use Sharansky’s selection as an impetus to teach our children about one inspiring Jewish hero.
Take some time to talk about how Anatoly became Natan, how Avital courageously made the case worldwide for her husband’s release, how the Soviet Jewry movement lit up Jewish passion for justice. Talk about what the Jewish Agency does and the work we have ahead and what it means to have a Jewish hero living in our midst.
This has been a season for celebrating freedom. Not only was I fortunate to participate in Natan’s election but I also helped my wife, Tanya, celebrate her own journey to freedom from the Soviet Union 20 years ago. One week later, I joined other Americans to celebrate our national independence.
Let us not take it for granted because not everyone in our world shares the same freedom. Perhaps this year, we can be agents of change for others, bringing greater freedom to those who suffer.
Bruce A. Arbit is president of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation and chair of the United Israel Appeal.
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