The refuseniks, a community largely made up of Soviet Jews who were denied the ability to emigrate by the Soviet Union, are a strong and sometimes less-remembered group in Jewish history. Their steadfast commitment to moving away from a controlling regime — primarily to Israel — to forge a better life for themselves and their loved ones is an enduring story.
It is also a story that has relevance today.
Which is why, on April 26, the Baltimore Jewish Council, The Associated and others are coming together to host an event featuring Izabella Tabarovsky, author of “Be a Refusenik: A Jewish Student’s Survival Guide,” as well as former refusenik Aleksander “Sasha” Smukler, Jewish youth leader Eyal Yakoby and Krieger Schechter Day School Head of School Rabbi Moshe Schwartz.
An organizer, Jack Zager, said people are excited about the event.
“It didn’t happen overnight, but we’ve gotten a tremendous amount of support from the community. Organizations from around the world — including the National Coalition for Soviet Jewry, the Z3 Project, a new organization called Jewish Alumni Strong … we currently have 110 people registered, and the registration seems to be picking up as we go,” Zager said.
The event will take place at The Associated’s Goldsmith Campus on Park Heights Avenue and will feature a limited number of free books for attendees, as well as a raffle and snacks.
Tabarovsky will discuss her book, the refusenik movement and how it relates to modern-day struggles of Jews on college campuses, while Smukler can speak to firsthand experience as a refusenik and Yakoby can detail what today’s Jewish students face on college campuses.
“Anybody that knows about what’s going on on college campuses today, especially since 10/7, and the experiences that Sasha had going through the oppression of the Soviet Jews in that era, coupled with what Eyal experienced at the University of Pennsylvania with combating antisemitism and anti-Zionism, it should become obvious to anyone why their presence at a program like this is important,” Zager said.
For Zager, the parallels between the stories of the old and young speakers are stark, and illuminating for Jews of all ages and backgrounds in 2026.
“I think it’s important for people to hear about the experiences Sasha went through, how he came out the other side, and also to hear the same from Eyal, what he went through, especially in the period following Oct. 7,” Zager said.
Originally, Smukler declined an invitation to the event, stating that it should be focused on Tabarovsky’s work and message. Zager said that he insisted that a firsthand account of life as a refusenik was necessary, and the event evolved into what it is now.
While the event carries a special weight for high school and college students, Zager emphasized that everyone is welcome. The story of the refuseniks and words from someone who experienced that life, as well as a modern Jewish college student and celebrated author, are important for all Jews to hear.
“I know a lot of people, including myself, are craving community, understanding, context, validation, enlightenment, and I feel like when we do that, we grow stronger … it’s not only for the people in my generation, but more importantly, for the kids who are going out into this fraught world of academia, to have the experience of hearing from people who’ve been through the fight, so to speak,” he said. “I hope the program serves to educate and illuminate all of us, but particularly the students, and galvanize their understanding and connection to Israel and what a gift it is to be an American Jew today.”
