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Dov Schperling

April 12, 2024

Dov Schperling (Hebrew: דב שפרלינג, or Boris Shperling); (17 December 1937 – 5 Mar 2014) was a Zionist activist and leader who was amongst the first Jews to immigrate from the Soviet Union to Israel. He began his Zionist advocacy during the reign of the communists in the Soviet Union, when such activity was illegal, and as a consequence was imprisoned in a Russian gulag for two years. After his released, he emigrated to Israel, there he continued his struggle for the freedom of Soviet Jews. He was a member of the Herut right wing party and was a delegate of the Jewish Agency to Austria.

Dov Schperling

Early life edit

Dov Schperling was born in 1937 in Riga, Latvia. His father Samuel (Sasha) was a soldier in the Latvian army and his mother was a housewife. In 1941, his mother fled with Dov from the advancing Nazi forces, to East USSR and his father joined the ranks of the Latvian division of the Red Army to fight against the Nazis. In 1945, after the liberation of Riga they returned and reunited with his father. His mother and his father, who worked in commerce, and Dov lived with three families of relatives in a two-room apartment. In 1950 his father died of a heart attack.

Politics in the Soviet Union edit

In 1955 he first heard the sounds of Israeli anthem ("The Hope") during a football match between the Israeli and Soviet Union teams, and although he did not know the anthem, hearing it for the first time gave him a strong sense of identity. In 1956, when he was a student at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics in Riga, he heard about the Israeli military operation "Operation Kadesh" during the Suez crisis. The description of the operation and events in Israel brought to his attention the power and capabilities of the State of Israel. This affected him greatly; he began to be an active Zionist and the Land of Israel became the center of his world. Dov began to distribute material about the land of Israel and the Jewish people to Jews of his age.[1] Schperling was imprisoned for two years in the camp,[2] where he met other dissidents, including Joseph Schneider, David Chavkin, Alec (Elhanan) Feldman,[3] maintaining contact with them throughout his life. In the camp, his connection with Judaism and the Zionist ideal grew and he began studying Hebrew.

When he returned to Riga in 1959, he became a prominent figure in the Zionist underground in the city.[4] Along with other idealists like him, he copied Zionist writings, including "Exodus" and distributed the material to many areas of the USSR.[5]

Emigration to Israel edit

After the Six-Day War, Soviet authorities wanted to get rid of "problematic" Zionist activists and as a consequence, Dov immigrated to Israel in 1968. After he immigrated to Israel, Dov continued to fight for the right of Soviet Jewish immigration, even when the methods of this struggle were not accepted by the Israeli establishment.[6] Dov rallied the Israeli University Students Association to his struggle, organized rallies, met with key figures across the country[7] and used the media and other means to enable the immigration of Russian Jews to Israel.

Political activism edit

 
Dov Schperling addressing students during a rally in Jerusalem for the Freedom of Soviet Jews

During the late 1960s and early 1970s he traveled to different cities in the world to hold demonstrations, often unconventional, and campaigns for freedom of emigration-Aliyah to Israel. In 1970, he flew to New York,[8] along with the fellow immigration activist Jacob Kedmi (Yasha Kazakov),[9] who went on to become the head of the Nativ organization. There they had a nine-day hunger strike in front of the United Nations.[10] The strike made waves in Israel and around the world,[11] during which Kedmi devised the slogan "Let my people go", that became a symbol of the struggle for Jewish immigration.[12] In 1971, Schperling was one of eight former Soviet Jews who cabled American Jewish leaders protesting their denunciations of the Jewish Defense League and calling the League's activities "most effective."[13] He claimed that a recent cancellation of the Bolshoi Ballet's scheduled American tour was forced by the Jewish Defense League and hailed it as the first public surrender by Soviet authorities to Jewish pressure.[14] Over the years, Dov was active in the Herut [Israeli right wing] Central Committee.[15] In 1979 he joined the Department of Soviet Union Immigration of the Jewish Agency. Later on, Dov was the head of the Jewish Agency for Israel delegation in Vienna,[16] and the head of the Jewish agency travel department.[17]

 
Dov Schperling with prime minister Menahem Begin and IDF commander in chief Ariel Sharon

Family and heritage edit

In 1973 Dov Schperling married Ella Clear and had their daughter Rachel and their sons Schmuel and Yair. After retiring from the Jewish Agency, he received an award from the Keren Hayesod foundation for his struggle for Soviet Jewry, was interviewed by the Israeli Kneset channel, and appeared in a television event in honor of Geulah Cohen.

Dov Schperling died from cancer in 2014. A memorial event was held in the Jabotinsky Institute,[18] hosted by the head of the institute, Yossi Achimeir. Schperling was mourned by Silva Zalmanson, Jacov Kedmi, Geulah Cohen (who due to her medical condition sent a letter that was read in the event), friends and his sons Schmuel and Yair.

In 2019 the "Dov Schperling Plaza" was inaugurated in Hatsvi 10 street, outside the central station in Jerusalem.

 
The sign of the Dov Schperling Plaza in Jerusalem

References edit

  1. ^ Yosef Mendelevich; Iosif Mendelevich (2012). Unbroken Spirit: A Heroic Story of Faith, Courage, and Survival. Gefen Publishing House Ltd. p. 16. ISBN 978-965-229-563-7.
  2. ^ The Jewish Spectator."Dov Sperling". School of the Jewish Woman. 1982. p. 61.
  3. ^ . Kosharovsky.com. Archived from the original on 2014-08-12. Retrieved 2014-08-04.
  4. ^ Leonard Schroeter (1 January 1979). The Last Exodus. "Dov Shperling". University of Washington Press. pp. 71–. ISBN 978-0-295-95685-5.
  5. ^ Bet ha-tefutsot ʻal shem Naḥum Goldman (2007). Jews of struggle: the Jewish national movement in the USSR, 1967–1989."Dov Shperling". בית התפוצות על שם נחום גולדמן. pp. 15, 182. ISBN 9789654250146.
  6. ^ Meir Kahane (24 October 2000). The story of the Jewish Defense League. "Dov Sperling". Institute for Publication of the Writings of Rabbi Meir Kahane. pp. 10, 52, 150. ISBN 978-965-7044-04-9.
  7. ^ Libby Kahane (2008). Rabbi Meir Kahane: 1932-1975."Dov Sperling". Institute for the Publication of the Writings of Rabbi Meir Kahane. pp. 348, 606, 618. ISBN 978-965-524-008-5.
  8. ^ Response."Dov Shperling". Response. 1979. p. 11.
  9. ^ "ארכיון ActivePaper". Jpress.org.il. Retrieved 2014-08-04.
  10. ^ Noam Kochavi (2 July 2010). Nixon and Israel: Forging a Conservative Partnership."Dov Sperling". SUNY Press. p. 33. ISBN 978-1-4384-2787-4.
  11. ^ AMERICAN BUSINESS DIRECTIONS."Dov Sperling". 1947. pp. ix, 236.
  12. ^ Jewish Affairs."Dov Sperling". Jewish Board of Deputies. 1970. p. 32.
  13. ^ "Former Soviet Jew, Brought to U.S. by Jdl, Calls Violent Protests Unavoidable". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. January 26, 1971.
  14. ^ "Cabinet Condemns Violence in Struggle for Soviet Jews; Former Soviet Jews Applaud Jdl". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. January 18, 1971.
  15. ^ "ארכיון ActivePaper". Jpress.org.il. Retrieved 2014-08-04.
  16. ^ http://www.csmonitor.com/1988/0929/oemi.html%7C"Dov Schperling"
  17. ^ Stuart Altshuler (1 January 2005). From Exodus to Freedom: A History of the Soviet Jewry Movement."Dov Sperling". Rowman & Littlefield. p. 119. ISBN 978-0-7425-4936-4.
  18. ^ "Google Translate". Retrieved 2014-08-04.

Sources edit

  • Article about Schperling from the Israeli national newspaper archive
  • Article form the Israeli national newspaper archive about Dov Schperling and Yasha Kazakov
  • Article from the Haaretz newspaper stating Dov's involvement in the Zionist struggle relating to President Golda Meir
  • Article about Dov Schperling in the Haaretz newspaper
  • Dov Shperling (1983). Book of the Martyrs of the Gallows. Jewish Agency for Israel.

External links edit

  • Begin center-The first Soviet Jewry Conference.
  • Memorial evening in the Jabotinsky institute.

April 12, 2024
schperling, hebrew, דב, שפרלינג, boris, shperling, december, 1937, 2014, zionist, activist, leader, amongst, first, jews, immigrate, from, soviet, union, israel, began, zionist, advocacy, during, reign, communists, soviet, union, when, such, activity, illegal,. Dov Schperling Hebrew דב שפרלינג or Boris Shperling 17 December 1937 5 Mar 2014 was a Zionist activist and leader who was amongst the first Jews to immigrate from the Soviet Union to Israel He began his Zionist advocacy during the reign of the communists in the Soviet Union when such activity was illegal and as a consequence was imprisoned in a Russian gulag for two years After his released he emigrated to Israel there he continued his struggle for the freedom of Soviet Jews He was a member of the Herut right wing party and was a delegate of the Jewish Agency to Austria Dov Schperling Contents 1 Early life 2 Politics in the Soviet Union 3 Emigration to Israel 4 Political activism 5 Family and heritage 6 References 7 Sources 8 External linksEarly life editDov Schperling was born in 1937 in Riga Latvia His father Samuel Sasha was a soldier in the Latvian army and his mother was a housewife In 1941 his mother fled with Dov from the advancing Nazi forces to East USSR and his father joined the ranks of the Latvian division of the Red Army to fight against the Nazis In 1945 after the liberation of Riga they returned and reunited with his father His mother and his father who worked in commerce and Dov lived with three families of relatives in a two room apartment In 1950 his father died of a heart attack Politics in the Soviet Union editIn 1955 he first heard the sounds of Israeli anthem The Hope during a football match between the Israeli and Soviet Union teams and although he did not know the anthem hearing it for the first time gave him a strong sense of identity In 1956 when he was a student at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics in Riga he heard about the Israeli military operation Operation Kadesh during the Suez crisis The description of the operation and events in Israel brought to his attention the power and capabilities of the State of Israel This affected him greatly he began to be an active Zionist and the Land of Israel became the center of his world Dov began to distribute material about the land of Israel and the Jewish people to Jews of his age 1 Schperling was imprisoned for two years in the camp 2 where he met other dissidents including Joseph Schneider David Chavkin Alec Elhanan Feldman 3 maintaining contact with them throughout his life In the camp his connection with Judaism and the Zionist ideal grew and he began studying Hebrew When he returned to Riga in 1959 he became a prominent figure in the Zionist underground in the city 4 Along with other idealists like him he copied Zionist writings including Exodus and distributed the material to many areas of the USSR 5 Emigration to Israel editAfter the Six Day War Soviet authorities wanted to get rid of problematic Zionist activists and as a consequence Dov immigrated to Israel in 1968 After he immigrated to Israel Dov continued to fight for the right of Soviet Jewish immigration even when the methods of this struggle were not accepted by the Israeli establishment 6 Dov rallied the Israeli University Students Association to his struggle organized rallies met with key figures across the country 7 and used the media and other means to enable the immigration of Russian Jews to Israel Political activism edit nbsp Dov Schperling addressing students during a rally in Jerusalem for the Freedom of Soviet JewsDuring the late 1960s and early 1970s he traveled to different cities in the world to hold demonstrations often unconventional and campaigns for freedom of emigration Aliyah to Israel In 1970 he flew to New York 8 along with the fellow immigration activist Jacob Kedmi Yasha Kazakov 9 who went on to become the head of the Nativ organization There they had a nine day hunger strike in front of the United Nations 10 The strike made waves in Israel and around the world 11 during which Kedmi devised the slogan Let my people go that became a symbol of the struggle for Jewish immigration 12 In 1971 Schperling was one of eight former Soviet Jews who cabled American Jewish leaders protesting their denunciations of the Jewish Defense League and calling the League s activities most effective 13 He claimed that a recent cancellation of the Bolshoi Ballet s scheduled American tour was forced by the Jewish Defense League and hailed it as the first public surrender by Soviet authorities to Jewish pressure 14 Over the years Dov was active in the Herut Israeli right wing Central Committee 15 In 1979 he joined the Department of Soviet Union Immigration of the Jewish Agency Later on Dov was the head of the Jewish Agency for Israel delegation in Vienna 16 and the head of the Jewish agency travel department 17 nbsp Dov Schperling with prime minister Menahem Begin and IDF commander in chief Ariel SharonFamily and heritage editIn 1973 Dov Schperling married Ella Clear and had their daughter Rachel and their sons Schmuel and Yair After retiring from the Jewish Agency he received an award from the Keren Hayesod foundation for his struggle for Soviet Jewry was interviewed by the Israeli Kneset channel and appeared in a television event in honor of Geulah Cohen Dov Schperling died from cancer in 2014 A memorial event was held in the Jabotinsky Institute 18 hosted by the head of the institute Yossi Achimeir Schperling was mourned by Silva Zalmanson Jacov Kedmi Geulah Cohen who due to her medical condition sent a letter that was read in the event friends and his sons Schmuel and Yair In 2019 the Dov Schperling Plaza was inaugurated in Hatsvi 10 street outside the central station in Jerusalem nbsp The sign of the Dov Schperling Plaza in JerusalemReferences edit Yosef Mendelevich Iosif Mendelevich 2012 Unbroken Spirit A Heroic Story of Faith Courage and Survival Gefen Publishing House Ltd p 16 ISBN 978 965 229 563 7 The Jewish Spectator Dov Sperling School of the Jewish Woman 1982 p 61 Jewish activism leadership and All Union Coordination Committee VKK Yuli Kosharovsky Kosharovsky com Archived from the original on 2014 08 12 Retrieved 2014 08 04 Leonard Schroeter 1 January 1979 The Last Exodus Dov Shperling University of Washington Press pp 71 ISBN 978 0 295 95685 5 Bet ha tefutsot ʻal shem Naḥum Goldman 2007 Jews of struggle the Jewish national movement in the USSR 1967 1989 Dov Shperling בית התפוצות על שם נחום גולדמן pp 15 182 ISBN 9789654250146 Meir Kahane 24 October 2000 The story of the Jewish Defense League Dov Sperling Institute for Publication of the Writings of Rabbi Meir Kahane pp 10 52 150 ISBN 978 965 7044 04 9 Libby Kahane 2008 Rabbi Meir Kahane 1932 1975 Dov Sperling Institute for the Publication of the Writings of Rabbi Meir Kahane pp 348 606 618 ISBN 978 965 524 008 5 Response Dov Shperling Response 1979 p 11 ארכיון ActivePaper Jpress org il Retrieved 2014 08 04 Noam Kochavi 2 July 2010 Nixon and Israel Forging a Conservative Partnership Dov Sperling SUNY Press p 33 ISBN 978 1 4384 2787 4 AMERICAN BUSINESS DIRECTIONS Dov Sperling 1947 pp ix 236 Jewish Affairs Dov Sperling Jewish Board of Deputies 1970 p 32 Former Soviet Jew Brought to U S by Jdl Calls Violent Protests Unavoidable Jewish Telegraphic Agency January 26 1971 Cabinet Condemns Violence in Struggle for Soviet Jews Former Soviet Jews Applaud Jdl Jewish Telegraphic Agency January 18 1971 ארכיון ActivePaper Jpress org il Retrieved 2014 08 04 http www csmonitor com 1988 0929 oemi html 7C Dov Schperling Stuart Altshuler 1 January 2005 From Exodus to Freedom A History of the Soviet Jewry Movement Dov Sperling Rowman amp Littlefield p 119 ISBN 978 0 7425 4936 4 Google Translate Retrieved 2014 08 04 Sources editArticle about Schperling from the Israeli national newspaper archive Article form the Israeli national newspaper archive about Dov Schperling and Yasha Kazakov Article from the Haaretz newspaper stating Dov s involvement in the Zionist struggle relating to President Golda Meir Article about Dov Schperling in the Haaretz newspaper Dov Shperling 1983 Book of the Martyrs of the Gallows Jewish Agency for Israel External links editMemorial website for Dov Schperling Begin center The first Soviet Jewry Conference Exert from Yuli Shcharansky s book about soviet jewish zionist struggle Memorial evening in the Jabotinsky institute Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dov Schperling amp oldid 1075682654, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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