Colorado Committee of Concern for Soviet Jewry Collection
Scope and Contents
The Colorado Committee of Concern for Soviet Jewry collection has been organized in the following manner:
I. Refusenik Files
II. General Files - includes publications
III. Other Groups - includes publications
IV. Politicians and Government Officials
V. Twinnings
VI. Emigrated - Case Files
Alphabetical
Profiles of Persons Who Have Emigrated
VII. Oversize
Dates
- Creation: 1970 - 1996
Copyright Statement
The University Libraries may not own the copyright to all materials in this collection. Researchers are responsible for contacting the copyright holder(s) for this material and obtaining permission to publish or broadcast. The University Libraries will not grant permission to publish or broadcast this material and are not responsible for copyright violations resulting from such use.
Historical
On August 12, 1970 a group of Denver Jews gathered on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol to commemorate the Night of the Murdered Poets with a 3-day fast. Denver in 1970 was the first community to commemorate the Night of the Murdered Poets. Thirty-three people fasted.
An outgrowth of that fast, Lillian Hoffman (1913-1996) who was the co-chairwoman of the Colorado Committee of Concern for World Jewry, along with Rhoda Friedman changed the name of the group to the Colorado Committee of Concern for Soviet Jewry (CCCSJ) in 1970. Along with Phyllis Daniels, Lillian Hoffman and Rhoda Friedman led groups of unrelenting volunteers who mailed letters and telegrams and made hundreds of phone calls weekly to local, national and Soviet officials to gain the release of Jewish families refused immigration visas to leave the Soviet Union.
Initially the CCCSJ worked under the Jewish Anti-Defamation League. In 1975 the CCCSJ pulled away from the Jewish Anti-Defamation, and the group also moved away from the National Conference for Soviet Jewry which they viewed as too "establishment" and passive. At this point the CCCSJ became a member of the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews Washington, D.C.
During more than 20 years of actions to help Soviet Jews the CCCSJ organized a "Women's Plea For Human Rights For Soviet Jewry" in Denver on December 12, 1972. The group had Babi Yar Park established in Denver. The CCCSJ worked with public officials, wrote countless letters, editorials, articles, made broadcasts on television and radio, operated a telegram bank, an adopt-a-family program, organized rallies and vigils at the State Capitol, paid for billboards pleaing for the relase of Soviet Jews, annually commemorated the Night of the Murdered Poets, and gave instructions on how to perform twinning ceremonies at Bar/Bat Mitzvahs to show spirtual support for young Jews in the Soviet Union.
The Colorado Committee of Concern for Soviet Jewry ranked as one of the most active councils in the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews.
Extent
74 linear feet (77 boxes, 3 oversize containers)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Papers document efforts to assist Jewish families in the Soviet Union who had been refused the right to emigrate to gain exit visas. One of the most active member councils in the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews the papers include refusenik files, general files, materials from other Soviet Jewry groups, correspondence with politicians and government officials, Bar/ Bat Mitzvah twinning ceremonies, oversize materials as well as case files/ correspondence concerning Jews who emigrated from the Soviet Union.
Arrangement
I. Refusenik Files II. General Files - includes publications III. Other Groups - includes publications IV. Politicians and Government Officials V. Twinnings VI. Emigrated - Case Files Alphabetical Profiles of Persons Who Have Emigrated VII. Oversize
- Author
- Processed by Harvey N. Gardiner, 1996
- Date
- May 13, 1996
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries, Rare and Distinctive Collections Repository
