A refusenik’s new mission

Back in the 1970s, refuseniks galvanized the Jewish world. While their primary, urgent mission was to bring hope and inspiration to our imprisoned brethren in the Soviet Union, their sacrifices produced a bonus: the reawakening of the Jewish neshama (the soul) that is indelibly imprinted on every Jew.

Idealistic youth on American college campuses, by then weary of protests over the Vietnam War, discovered a fresh cause to fight for, a new struggle for tikun olam (healing the world). They proclaimed “Od Avinu Chai” (our Father lives) and demanded freedom for Prisoners of Zion behind the Iron Curtain.

We’re reminded that this is quite a contrast to the unfortunate experience on too many campuses today, where Jewish students — many of them unaware of their precious heritage and of the unbreakable spiritual bonds that unite all Jews — stand by apathetically as their young colleagues and professors spew venom toward both the State of Israel and to Jews in general. In some cases, young Jews themselves join in the hate-fest.

In the Five Towns and Flatbush, we are blessed, thank G-d, that our youngsters mostly understand who they are and what they must do. But not everyone is as blessed, and not every Jewish community is as steeped in Yiddishkeit. Even on Long Island, in New York City and in New Jersey, where Yiddishkeit flourishes on a high level undreamed of just a few decades ago, there are children who do not care, often because they do not know.

Thus we were doubly delighted last weekend, over Shabbat Shelach, to welcome to the Five Towns Rabbi Yosef Mendelevich, a leading refusenik who brought Torah and emunah to the gulags where he was imprisoned, and who has now embarked on a mission to spread yiddishkeit among those removed — temporarily, ken yehi ratzon (may it be G-d’s will) — from its source.

Rabbi Mendelevich has launched “Od Avinu Chai,” an educational campaign that is adapting the theme song of the movement to Save Soviet Jewry to a campaign to save young American Jews.

Just as we dared not be silent while Prisoners of Zion sat in the gulags, we must not be quiet now while the neshamot of our children are on the line.