1991-1998 Russian Resettlement Project
Knoxville Jewish Federation

Left to right: Ilya Budik, Bella Budik, Allah Vaynstan, Mr. Vaystan, Judy Megibow, Maria Shusterman, Boris Budik, David Feldman

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"Ha'Kol: The Way We Were" article written by Barbara Winick Bernstein, November, 2009

The Jewish world hoped for decades that their fellow Jews would be released from oppression in the Soviet Union.  Jews were less than full Soviet citizens.  They were denied high level jobs, limited from much education, unable or afraid to worship as Jews, and prevented from emigrating to other countries.

Worldwide, we organized into “Save Soviet Jewry” groups, grabbing publicity, petitioning Congressional leaders…marching on the Mall in Washington by the thousands, demanding to “Let my People Go.”

And then it happened.  In the late 1980s, with the help of U.S. pressure, the ban on Jewish emigration from Russia was lifted.  The Knoxville Jewish Federation rejoiced and joined in by contributing money to help.

Federations were asked by the national Council of Jewish Federations to accept “Collective Responsibility” to help share the cost of resettlement and absorption by either pledging the money to a national pool or to actually accept and resettle these people in their own communities.  Eighty three Jewish Federations overwhelmingly endorsed this principle of collective responsibility for “Operation Exodus” to ransom Jewish captives as Jewish communities did centuries ago.

A joint Oak Ridge/Knoxville Task force on Soviet Jewish Resettlement was formed to explore paths to help, and in early 1990, The Knoxville Jewish community decided to take an active role in resettling refugees in our own city, rather than merely providing funds to other cities.

And so began the eight years of the Knoxville Jewish community’s “Russian Resettlement” project.  And perhaps it was one of “our best eight years.”  From 1991 until 1999, the Knoxville Jewish community of less than 2000 individuals successfully resettled a total of 81 people, provided their first homes, furniture and food; helped them find jobs, learn languages, acquire and learn to drive cars, learn about their religion and co-religionists, solve health problems, educate themselves and their children, find real careers for their older children and themselves, and (with the aid of a benign and caring American government) become responsible citizens of the United States of America.

A Resettlement coordinator was hired.  Over the years of the project three energetic, competent and caring coordinators held the reins: Deborah Oleshansky was the initial coordinator, Ruth Gurwitch followed for almost two years, and then Judy Megibow held the position for the largest portion of the time.

A call went out to everyone in the community for donations of furniture, household items, televisions, radios, linens, kitchen utensils and myriad other items needed to furnish the apartments that were found, primarily in Tiffany Square on Gleason Drive in west Knoxville to house our new immigrants. Over the many years of resettlement, donations continued to pour in from the community, and as there was need for storage, Ernie Gross donated his warehouse to store an overwhelming amount of furnishings.  Sorting, transporting and making use of these stored items was taken care of by energized groups of women, men, and teenagers.

An army of volunteers was needed to look for ways for our refugees to earn money.  Community members looked for, asked for and provided initial entry-level jobs in a vast number of  areas.  Members of the community created jobs in their own businesses, watched the want-ads, accompanied the immigrants on interviews and found a warm and generally welcoming non-Jewish Knoxville community to help.