Euroasian Jewish News

Micah Naftalin

EAJC Mourns Passing of Micah Naftalin

It is with great grief that the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress learned of the unexpected passing of Micah Naftalin from this world – the national director of the American human rights organization Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union (UCSJ). The UCSJ leader ended his life in Washington, at 76 years of age.

The UCSJ was founded in 1970 as a coalition of local grass-roots "action" councils supporting freedom for Jews of the Soviet Union.. The union of committees quickly became the largest independent organization to defend the rights of Soviet Jews.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the UCSJ continued its human rights work in post-Soviet countries by establishing a Bureau of Human Rights in Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Russia, and Ukraine. One of the important venues of UCSJ activity in post-Soviet territory is the battle against various manifestations of xenophobia, racism, discrimination, religious persecution.

Micah Naftalin took up the post of UCSJ National Director in 1987. He did very much for the Jews of the former USSR, aiding us in our battle for the right to be Jewish. And both the members of the Jewish communities of the post-Soviet territory and those who have realized their right to live in a Jewish state will always remember that.

The last realized initiative of Micah Naftalin was the creation of the international Coalition Against Hatred in 2007. This structure was intented to unite human rights and national organizations into a single network to oppose xenophobia in post-Soviet territory. He had many plans and ideas...

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress expresses deep condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Micah Naftalin. May his name be blessed.

Alexander Mashkevich,
EAJC President

Michael Chlenov,
EAJC Secretary General

Josef Zisels,
EAJC General Council Chairman

Roman Spector,
EAJC PR Department Head