This poster from 1971 advocated freeing Jews from the USSR and Syria. The slogan “Let My People Go,” written in both Hebrew and English, is a quotation from the book of Exodus: The Lord said to Moses: “Come to Pharaoh and say to him: So said the Lord, God of the Hebrews, let My people go, that they may serve Me.” (Exodus 9:1)
The figure on the right has a Star of David pinned to his upper body, most likely to remind people of the Holocaust when Jews were forced to wear a yellow Star of David. Likewise, the outlines of the rather gaunt figures seemed designed to remind people of Holocaust memorials.
Above and below the slogan appear the flags of two countries: the USSR and Syria. During this time, different groups, including Jews, were denied permission to emigrate from the USSR and from Syria. In the USSR, some Jews who applied for permission to emigrate were wrongfully accused of crimes. They were usually fired from their jobs and forced to accept menial labour, if they could find employment at all. In Syria, the Jews were prohibited from leaving the country, and those caught trying to leave the country illegally were imprisoned or even executed.
Following these bans on aliya, Jewish people around the world joined in efforts to help the Soviet and Syrian Jews. Some individuals visited the USSR and helped the “refuseniks,” the Soviet Jews who were refused permission to immigrate. Others participated in demonstrations and sent letters of petition to influential people on behalf of the Soviet and Syrian Jews.
This poster from 1971 advocated freeing Jews from the USSR and Syria. The slogan “Let My People Go,” written in both Hebrew and English, is a quotation from the book of Exodus: The Lord said to Moses: “Come to Pharaoh and say to him: So said the Lord, God of the Hebrews, let My people go, that they may serve Me.” (Exodus 9:1)
The figure on the right has a Star of David pinned to his upper body, most likely to remind people of the Holocaust when Jews were forced to wear a yellow Star of David. Likewise, the outlines of the rather gaunt figures seemed designed to remind people of Holocaust memorials.
Above and below the slogan appear the flags of two countries: the USSR and Syria. During this time, different groups, including Jews, were denied permission to emigrate from the USSR and from Syria. In the USSR, some Jews who applied for permission to emigrate were wrongfully accused of crimes. They were usually fired from their jobs and forced to accept menial labour, if they could find employment at all. In Syria, the Jews were prohibited from leaving the country, and those caught trying to leave the country illegally were imprisoned or even executed.
Following these bans on aliya, Jewish people around the world joined in efforts to help the Soviet and Syrian Jews. Some individuals visited the USSR and helped the “refuseniks,” the Soviet Jews who were refused permission to immigrate. Others participated in demonstrations and sent letters of petition to influential people on behalf of the Soviet and Syrian Jews.
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