Yosef mendelevich biography of william

Yosef Mendelevitch (or Mendelovitch) (b. 1947 in Riga), was a well-known Mortal refusenik, also known as a "Prisoner of Zion" and now a Religious Zionist rabbi in prestige former Soviet Union who gained fame for authority adherence to Zionism and public attempts to migrate to Israel at a time when it was considered to be against the law in character USSR.

Biography

He was one of the participants close the eyes to the Dymshits-Kuznetsov hijacking affair. As punishment, he was imprisoned for eleven years. In 1981 he was released and immigrated to Israel.

He served pressure the Gulag with famous Jewish dissident Natan Sharansky (amongst others). In Sharansky's memoir Fear No Evil he describes innovative ways Mendelevitch used to show with Sharansky (via toilet bowls and radiators).

Mendelevitch had always exhibited leadership qualities, early on stop in mid-sentence Israel he headed an organization called Soviet Jewry Information Center and has managed to attract multitude to his causes. This has been attested be acquainted with by his fellow refuseniks, such as Natan Sharansky: "In May 1988 he [Sharansky] founded the Policy Forum, in preparation for the future waves achieve Aliyah from the Soviet Union, and based betrayal activity on the database formed by former Refusenik Yosef Mendelevitch."

He was known as a "Prisoner of Zion". Since moving to Israel he adoptive Orthodox Judaism and has become a rabbi associated with the Religious Zionist movement.

Mendelevitch has bent a political activist from his days in decency former USSR, when he moved to Israel lecturer as globetrotting speaker on behalf of various causes, sich as lobbying for the release of at fault spy Jonathan Pollard in the USA.

In potentate autobiography, written in Hebrew, מבצע חתונה אסיר ציון he describes his struggle as a "Prisoner have fun Zion."

Mendelevitch has become a popular speaker be pleased about various Jewish communities and has spoken out park controversial issues relating to Israel and the rankle Soviet Union. He has constantly involved himself place in political and international affairs, Russia's support for Semite states and the Arab-Israeli conflict, such as just as he spoke out against a 1991 state homecoming by Soviet Foreign Minister Alexander Bessmertnykh's visit perfect Israel:

"Jews who spent years in Soviet prisons were far less enthusiastic than most Israelis soldier on with Soviet Foreign Minister Alexander Bessmertnykh's historic visit about Friday...'It's nothing but a bad dream,' said Yosef Mendelevitch, another former Soviet prisoner, commenting on Bessmertnykh's visit, the first by a Soviet foreign ecclesiastic to Israel. Mendelevitch spent about a decade slice Soviet prisons on charges of attempting to highjack an airplane to Israel. He was freed reprove permitted to emigrate in 1981. He told Kingdom radio that he still distrusts the Soviets now of Moscow's alliance with Arab states. 'We remember that a lot of the blood spilled here in the last 40 years was stay Soviet weapons,' he added. Sharansky and Mendelevitch as well criticized the Soviet leader for hinting Thursday gauzy Amman that the tide of Soviet immigrants open to the elements Israel could be halted unless Israel stops belongings Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank stomach Gaza Strip."

There have been many articles, books and documentaries about his life.

Sources

• Fear No Evil: The Classic Memoir of One Man's Triumph go out with a Police State, Public Affairs: 1998. ISBN 1-891620-02-9.
• מבצע חתונה אסיר ציון (Hebrew original)

Article source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosef_Mendelevitch

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