Name/Title
Finding aid for the Cleveland Council on Soviet Anti-Semitism recordsEntry/Object ID
SJ-967Scope and Content
The Cleveland Council on Soviet Anti-Semitism Records, 1960-1983 and undated, consist of administrative files, correspondence, documents, subject and program files and publications of the Cleveland Council on Soviet Anti-Semitism, and correspondence, subject and program files and publications of the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews.
The CCSA Records provide an intimate look at the early era in the American movement on behalf of Soviet Jewry, when the CCSA was instrumental in putting the cause of Soviet Jews before the public. Because the records were maintained by Louis Rosenblum, principle leader of the CCSA and first president of the UCSJ, they also provide a detailed view of his work in the movement. Rosenblum's notations in the CCSA and UCSJ records concerning individuals, organizations, and events, along with his correspondence, reveal his opinions about the failure of the "established" Jewish community organizations to provide effective action on behalf of Soviet Jews and of attempts by the Israeli government to control activities related to Soviet Jews both in the West and in Israel.
The CCSA and the UCSJ records are indispensable to the scholar studying the genesis of the Soviet Jewry movement and the problems, failures, and successes experienced in its early and more mature stages. In addition, the collection provides information regarding American-Soviet relations and lobbying in Congress to affect policy toward the Soviet Union. The CCSA Records, maintained by Dr. Louis Rosenblum, have some of the qualities of personal papers. Because Rosenblum served as the first president of the Union of Councils for Soviet Jewry (UCSJ), and the UCSJ office was initially in Cleveland, the association's records were also maintained by him. In many instances a folder contains records of both organizations. Any folder that was clearly marked as part of the UCSJ records has been included in that series. Some subject and correspondence files established by Rosenblum as a leader of the CCSA prior to the formation of the UCSJ were subsequently included in the files of the latter organization and were labeled as UCSJ records. This explains the apparent discrepancy in dates for UCSJ files predating the organization's creation. Files not clearly marked as UCSJ records were assumed to be CCSA records and included in the appropriate series.
The correspondence and telephone transcripts of with Soviet Jews includes correspondence with several of the more famous Soviet Jews as well as with a number of others. The correspondence includes letters to and from Jews both in the Soviet Union and outside following emigration. The transcripts of conversations are almost exclusively with "Rufuseniks" and were prepared by organizations throughout the United States interested in Soviet Jewry.
The correspondence with individuals in the United States and Israel includes communications with various individuals involved in the Soviet Jewry movement. Among these are Cynthia Ozick Hallote, Leonard Schroeter, Michael Sherbourne of London (a primary Western telephone link with Jews in the USSR), and Ann Shenkar. Of special historical interest are the three folders of correspondence with Mrs. Shenkar, a private Israeli citizen who created and maintained in Israel an independent collection and distribution operation for timely information on Jews in the USSR. Although the bulk of the same information was also obtained by the Israeli government only a portion of it was ever released to activists in the West or to the general public.
The Soviet Jewry documents received by the Cleveland Council on Soviet Anti-Semitism includes material smuggled out of the Soviet Union relating to trials of "Refuseniks," messages from prisoners in the Gulag, petitions to Soviet authorities, and writings by Soviet Jews. Many of the documents were microfilmed in the Soviet Union. Photocopies of a few of the microfilms are included here; the original microfilm has been removed to PG 287 Cleveland Council on Soviet Anti-Semitism Photographs.Collection
Cleveland Council on Soviet Anti-Semitism MS-4011Lexicon
LOC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials
Correspondence, Transcripts, Newsletters, Reports, Case filesArchive Details
Creator
Cleveland Council on Soviet Anti-SemitismDate(s) of Creation
1960 - 1983Archive Size/Extent
17.30 linear feet (20 containers)Primary Language
English, Russian, Hebrew, Yiddish, GeorgianArchive Items Details
Subjects
Emigration & immigration, Refuseniks, Jews -- Ohio -- Cleveland, Jews, Soviet, Political prisoners, Antisemitism, Human rights, Congressmen, Political activists, RefugeesLocation
* Untyped Location
Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, OhioRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Union of Councils for Soviet Jews, Caron, Herbert, Rosenblum, Louis, Slone, Henry O., Rosenblum, Miriam, Silverstein, Abe, Shenkar, Ann, Sherbourne, Michael, 1917-2014, Litt, DanielCopyright
Notes
The copyright and related rights status of this item has not been evaluated. You are free to use this item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For all other uses please contact the Western Reserve Historical Society, 10825 East Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44106.
