From struggle for freedom to preserving heritage: Initiative to establish a heritage center for the Jews of the Soviet Union
About 50 Prisoners of Zion and aliyah activists from the former Soviet Union participated in a conference at the Ministry of Heritage in Jerusalem, which dealt with an initiative to establish a heritage center for the Jews of the Soviet Union. The center is intended to document the struggle of Jews to preserve their identity and to immigrate to Israel, and to perpetuate the story of the refuseniks and aliyah activists for future generations.
About 50 Prisoners of Zion and aliyah activists from the former Soviet Union participated in a conference at the Ministry of Heritage in Jerusalem on October 5, 2026. The focus of the meeting was the initiative to establish a heritage center for the Jews of the Soviet Union, which will commemorate the struggle of Jews who sought to preserve their identity and immigrate to Israel. The Director General of the Ministry of Heritage, Itai Granek, presented the ministry's vision for establishing the center. Prisoners of Zion Yosef Mendelevich, Simon Schnirman, and Alex Silnitsky spoke at the conference, sharing their experiences and memories. The participants discussed ways to establish the center, preserve the historical story, and make it accessible to the public and future generations. Establishing the center poses a challenge in ensuring that the story remains a living part of public consciousness even as generations change.