Colorado Committee of Concern for Soviet Jewry Records

Soviet Jews who wanted to emigrate from the Soviet Union were known as "refuseniks" because they were denied visas to leave for years. American Jewish students formed the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry (SSSJ) in 1964 and the American Jewish Committee on Soviet Jewry (AJCSI) was also organized that year. Rabbi Samuel Adelman, rabbi of the BMH synagogue, spoke at Temple Emanuel and urged the liberal congregation to help Soviet Jews. Rabbi Raymond Zwerin, Sheldon Steinhauser, and Lillian Hoffman formed what became the Colorado Committee of Concern for Soviet Jewry (CCCSJ). The three founders were later joined Rhoda Friedman. Lillian Hoffman was the leading force behind CCCSJ and encouraged the organization to stage public demonstrations. The CCCSJ was the first Jewish group in Denver to have public protests, which ranged from ten to 250 person demonstrations. The first protest was in 1970 when 33 members of the group carried out a three-day fast to commemorate the Night of the Murdered Poets. The Colorado Committee was the first community to commemorate this event and continued the protest the Night of the Murdered poets annually.

Initially the CCSJ worked under the Jewish Anti-Defamation League, but many in the Denver Jewish establishment did not support public protests and the CCCSJ severed its ties to the Anti-Defamation League and the group also moved away from the National Conference for Soviet Jewry which they viewed as too "establishment" and passive. At this point the CCCSJ became a member of the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews. These internal conflicts marred the creation of the Babi Yar Park in Denver by the CCCSJ. The goals of CCCSJ included public education as to the plight of the Soviet Jews, supporting Soviet refuseniks in their efforts to emigrate, and to help Soviet Jews retain their Jewish heritage. The CCCSJ organized, protested, and promoted these goals. The major activities of the CCCSJ included the Adopt-a-Family program, organizing rallies and vigils at the State Capitol pleading for the release of Soviet Jews, and the group had many projects for the Soviet Jewish political prisoners known as Prisoners of Conscience (POC). The CCCSJ also educated public officials and U.S. Senator Henry Jackson took up the cause and the organization had impact in his amendment to the Trade Act to grant special trade status to Russia. The Colorado Committee of Concern for Soviet Jewry ranked as one of the most active councils in the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews.