Speaking Truth to Power

  Sharansky arrives in Israel upon release, 1986

 

  Currently, Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel

At Ace of Spades' Overnight Open Thread, Maetenloch reminds us of a great story about the moral giantude of Natan Sharansky (as told by William Jacobson at Legal Insurrection):

 

.... Sharansky spen[t] almost a decade in Soviet prison because of his activities on behalf of Jews who wanted to emigrate to Israel. Sharansky was subjected to torture and other indignities, but never lost his spirit. Sharansky notoriously refused to obey even the most mundane orders from his captors. Sharansky understood that to compromise even a little would lead to compromising a lot. Throughout his ordeal, Sharansky kept his spirits alive by reading a small book of psalms.

As Sharansky was being led to the airplane that would take him from the Soviet Union to East Germany for the exchange, the Soviets confiscated his book of psalms. It would have been easy for Sharansky simply to keep walking towards the plane and freedom. But Sharansky understood that the Soviets confiscated his book of psalms not because they wanted the book, but because they wanted to show that even in this last moment, they were in control.

In front of reporters covering his departure, Sharansky sat in the snow refusing to move unless the Soviets gave him back his book of psalms. Here was this diminutive man, after 10 years in prison, on the verge of freedom, refusing to budge unless one of the world’s two superpowers gave him back his book. And give him back his book of psalms they did. Sharansky proceeded to the plane, where he read Psalm 30:

“I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.”

 

Of course this strategy is dependent upon whether reporters are present and whether (and how) they choose to report it... and perhaps, on who the American president is at the time.

 

 

Comments

[bunuel]

An amazing blog, really. Todah lach.

[Mannie Sherberg]

"Giantude": the perfect word for Sharansky. The man IS a moral colossus -- and one of the few people alive who, when I read about him, makes me squirm and feel wormlike. The juxtaposition of Sharansky's picture and Bobby Dylan's is nothing less than a photographic essay worth at least a googolplex of words. The story about the book of psalms is both inspiring and dispiriting: inspiring because it took the rawest (and rarest) courage to do what Sharansky did, and dispiriting because nobility such as Sharansky displayed should be recognized at all times in all places -- without depending on the caprices of the media or the crochets of the president. The thought of Sharansky's bravery being ignored should make all of us feel wormlike.

[Elan]

www.jwa.org/thisweek/nov/15/2007/ruth-wisse