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Activists turn volunteering into friendship As a young boy in London, Michael Sherbourne attended a lecture by four prominent Englishmen on the "wonders of the workers' paradise" in the newly-formed Soviet Russia. Sidney and Beatrice Webb, H.G. Wells and Bernard Shaw all spoke in glowing terms about life under Stalin. When Mr. Shaw was asked about the reported liquidation of the kulaks (rural fanners) and the famine engineered by Stalin that killed an estimated 15 million of starvation, he replied, 'Famine? Nonsense! I've never eaten so well in my life!" Mr. Sherbourne, only a boy of 13 at the time, was struck by this statement as being "quite ludicrous" and from that point began to question the logic and sincerity of those committed to the communist revolution. Back in the 19308, it was common for many Jews to support the communists, both in Britain and in the United States. Mr. Sherbourne, however, was a lone voice, arguing with friends and family as to the wisdom of their views. The final confirmation for him was the signing of the Molotov/Ribbentrop pact between the Nazis and the Russians, followed by the post-war report that the communists had . supposeidly supplied Hitler's government with war materials from 1939-41. The aftermath of the war brought new reports, " not only of the extermination of six million Jews, but of the atrocities at Babi-Yar and the cooperation of Ukranians, Croats and others, now part of the new Soviet empire. Mr. Sherbourne did, however, use his opposition to the communists to begin his study that would later bring him to the attention of the Jewish Board of Deputies (Britain's version of the Jewish Federation). After the Six-Day War, and the new pride experienced by Jews all over the world, the first Jews began to trickle out of the Soviet Union.
by Carol Katzman, Editor Called 'refuseniks,' a name Mr. Sherbourne claims to iiave coined, they began to speak in Britain about their difflcult lives under Soviet domination. Later, standing outside the hnll, Mr. Sherbourne remembers a friend remarking, 'We didn't do enough for the Jews during World War II." Mr. Sherbourne replied, "We demonstrated, we boycotted; we did what we could."
"But, we should promise to do something to prevent the same thing from happening to the Jews of the Soviet Union." Soon after, he went to the headquarters of the Board of Deputies and volunteered his services as a Russian interpretor. He was given several phone numbers to call there, done easily in those days through an international operator. Then, in 1971, he was given a letter to translate at a meeting of AJEX, the Association of Jewish Ex-servicemen in London. It came from a young woman whose father, a Hungarian working for the Joint Distribution Committee, and sister, had been allowed to emigrate to Israel. Since 1953, when Stalin withdrew permission for 'the Joint' to operate, this family had been trying to get out. Eventually, the father and one daughter left: the other was forced to stay behind on the pretext of having to finish her formal education. Mr. Sherbourne translated the letter at the AJEIX meeting, not knowing that a reporter for the Daily Telegraph was in the audience. The next day, the story appeared on the front page. It was then picked up by the BBC international service and broadcast inside Russia. Neigh'bors of the remaining daughter heard the broadcast and
assured the young woman that Soviet authorities would probably grant her permission to leave soon. Within a week, they did, and for Mr. Sherbourne, this incident proved that publicity was the key. The next year, he began making regular telephone calls to Vladimir Slep&k, Ida Nudcl, and (Continued on page 5) imm\
Soviet Jewry activist Michael Sherbourne flew in from London for the ceremony at UNO when Shirley Goldstein was awarded an honorary doctorate.
BJE names scholarship recipients '^e %
Bureau of Jewish Education is pleased to announce that scholarships from 14 endowment funds have been awarded to 39 Omaha area college students: Phillip G. Schrager established the Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial Fund as a tribute to the memory of his late wife, Lois. Mrs. Schrager was a devoted community volunteer. The 1996-1997 Lois Jeanne Schrager Scholars are: Tiffany Franklin, Creighton University; Irina Kirnarskiy, Creighton University; Nataly Pisetsky, University of Nebraska-Omaha; and Olga Usov, Clarkson College. A special grant from the Phillip G. and Terri L. Schrager Supporting Foundation will make funds available to Dya Dubov, University of Nebraska at Omaha; Jeremy Evans, Brandeis University; Dusty Nichols, George Washington University; and Mikhail Shekhtman, University of Nebraska-Omaha. The Ruth Sokolof Special Education Fund was created and funded by Phil Sokolof to honor and perpetuate the memory of his late wife, Ruth. Mrs. Sokolof was noted in Omaha for her work with deaf and retarded children. The fund is designed to benefit students majoring in special and general education. Vlada Bublikova, Creighton University and Ruth Mitchell, DePaul University, have been named this year's Ruth Sokolof Scholars. The TrusteM of the Carl Frohm Foundation creat«d the Carl Frohm Educational Fund to provide scbolarthip assiiUnce to academically qualifled students. RecipienU for the 1996-1997 academic year are Julie Abrahamaon, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Gregory Olnabnrg, Northwestern University; Joey Hornstein, Colorado State University; Eugene Kullk, Univsrsity of Nebraska at Omaha; Marina Ubov,
by Susan A. Draxen, BJE Director University of Nebraska-Omaha; and Galina Fund was endowed by the Nate H. Sherman Foundation to provide annual scholarships to qualiYurikov, Gateway College. The Livingston Scholarships were created fied college students. Recipients are: Julie through the generosity of the Trustees of the Demidovich, UNMC School of Medicine; Tatyana Milton S. and Corinne N. Livingston Foundation to Demidovich, UNMC School of Medicine; Jeremy provide funds for college students to further their Nichols, Iowa State University; and Ella education. Named as Livingston Scholars for 1996- Patkovsky, University of Nebraska-Omaha. Jason Perelman, who is pursuing studies at 1997 are: Danielle Chasen, University of Nebraska-Omaha; Andrea CoUis, Johns Hopkins Machon Pardea Institute of Jewish Studies, will University; Jeremy Evans, Brandeis University; receive a grant from the Rebecca Friedman Tiffany Franklin, Creighton University; Caren Scholarship Fun(J. Mrs. Friedman's family and Friedman, Washington University; Debra friends endowed this fund to provide scholarship Givner, University of Missouri; Leslie Golbitc, aid for students pursuing yeehiva level studies. The Burton Robinson Student Athletic Fund was University of Missouri; Max Menkov, University of Nebraska-Omaha; Alex Nakhimovich, established by his family and friends to honor his University of Nebraska-Omaha; Shana Novak, memory. This fund benefita college students planSyracuse University; Michael Ruback, University ning a career in physical education, or health and of Kansas; Tanya Rubezhin, University of recreational sciences. Larisa Treskunova, Nebraska-Omaha; and Oleg Vinokurov, University of Nebraska-Omaha, has been awarded the Robinson Scholarship for 1996-1997. University of Nebraska-Omaha. The Sandra L. Feldman Scholarship Fund was The Maxine and Joe Kirshenbaum Scholarship Fund was created in 1994 to provide college and established to provide grants for graduate educauniversity grants to qualified students. Irina tion to worthy students. Jay Benton, University of Taed, University of Nebraska-Omaha, has been Nebraska-Omaha; Judy Levin, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; and Julia Viahnevskiy, named the 1996-1997 recipient of this scholarship. The family and friends of Nancy and Don University of Nebraska-Omaha, have been named Gre'nberg created a scholarship fund in their Feldman Scholars for the 1996-1997 academic year. Caren Friedman, Washington University, is honor which is specifically designed to benefit freshman students. Rebecca Wolfson, Indiana this year's David W. Frank Scholar. The David W. University, is the 1996-1997 recipient of the Nancy Frank Scholarship Fund was created by Mr. Frank's family to honor his memory. It is designed and Don Greenberg Scholarship. Karina Masyuk, University of Nebraska- for students who have completed their sophomore Omaha, has been named the Jerold I. and Sheila E. year in college. The Edward Zorinsky Endowment Fund was Rosen Scholar for the 1996-1997 academic year. This fund was created to provide financial aid for established by the Sonia Zorinsky Trust. It is qualified studenU from the Omaha-Council Bluffs intended to provide university tuition for college students as well as scholarships for Jewish sumMetropolitan area. (Contlnued on page 8 - with photos) The Nate H. and Beatrice Sherman Scholarship