Fishman, Robert_2000, Oral History, January 11, 2000

File — Box: 31, Box: 671

Identifier: 0014 001 001671

Interview

See more See less

[Written abstract in the folder but handwriting is messy and often difficult to read.]

Activism on behalf of Soviet Jews in Maryland and Hartford, helped get Hartford into this activism and interested in helping resettle Soviet refugees in Hartford. Tricky dynamics between some activists and the early immigrants-some activists only wanted them to go to Israel/didn’t like that they would not demonstrate, but they were afraid for their families. Trip to USR to meet refuseniks. Rallies for Soviet Jewry. Taking a large group from Hartford to Washington D.C. in 1986 for a large rally at same time as Super Saturday. Rallies in Hartford beyond Jewish Community. Beth Israel doing a lot to help settle the Soviet Jews who came to Greater Hartford. Meeting O.J. Simpson. Working to improve Black/Jewish relations. Establishment on J-Fact. Working to find grant money/raise money to bring Soviet Jews to the area and help them once they were here. Family to Family program-spearheaded by Judith Wolfson, recruited volunteers to help Soviet Jews settle into their new lives.