"This remarkable book is different from others about Soviet Jewry. It relies on interviews with the activists themselves, who explain the reasons for actions taken during the period between 1967 and the fall of the USSR in 1991. It is comprehensive, rational and intelligent in conveying this episode in contemporary Jewish history–an enticing work that does not rely on emotion to convey the struggle for national liberation."—The Jerusalem Post Magazine
"We Are Jews Again is a concise, yet authoritative, first-person description of the six-decade struggle of Soviet Jewry against a harsh and unforgiving government for their right to emigrate to Israel. His interviews, which he relates verbatim, concretize the hellish reality faced by all who opposed the Soviet hierarchy. It is a must reading for anyone interested in modern Jewish or Soviet history."—San Diego Jewish World
"The history of Soviet Jews is one that is often overlooked and not much is known about the activists who fought for their right to be Jewish, and Kosharovksy, along with many other writers and historians, has given a voice to a community of people who did not receive nearly the amount of recognition that they deserve."—The Canadian Jewish News
"This book is a condensed version of the extensive, four-volume history of the Soviet Jewish Movement originally published in Russian during 2008-2012 by one of its key activists, the late Yuli Kosharovsky (1941-2014). The edited English edition makes this compelling insider account of Soviet Jewish activism from the early 1960s till the demise of the USSR in the late 1980s accessible to western readers."—Journal of Church and State
"Kosharovsky provides us with a moving and well-documented account of how conviction can make the seeming impossible finally take place."—George P. Shultz, former U.S. Secretary of State
Description
Kosharovsky’s authoritative four-volume history of the Jewish movement in the Soviet Union is now available in a condensed and edited volume that makes this compelling insider’s account of Soviet Jewish activism after Stalin available to a wider audience. Originally published in Russian from 2008 to 2012, “We Are Jews Again” chronicles the struggles of Jews who wanted nothing more than the freedom to learn Hebrew, the ability to provide a Jewish education for their children, and the right to immigrate to Israel. Through dozens of interviews with former refuseniks and famous activists, Kosharovsky provides a vivid and intimate view of the Jewish movement and a detailed account of the persecution many faced from Soviet authorities.
About the Author
Yuli Kosharovsky (1941–2014) was born in the Ural region of central Russia. He was an active leader of the Jewish refusenik movement.
Ann Komaromi is associate professor of comparative literature at the University of Toronto.
Stefani Hoffman is working as a freelance academic researcher, editor, and translator after her retirement from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
June 2017