Activism Avi_Weiss

1 activism

1.1 soviet jewry
1.2 in united states
1.3 in europe

activism

weiss has been vocal on many issues, including emigration , absorption of soviet jews, clemency israeli spy jonathan pollard, opposing terrorism, supporting israel, preserving holocaust memorials, , exposing anti-semitism. in 1992 founded amcha – coalition jewish concerns, grassroots coalition engaging in pro-jewish activism.

soviet jewry

weiss leader of student struggle soviet jewry, founded in 1964. 1 of first american organizations working free russian jews, not allowed emigrate during soviet era. group used demonstrations, lobbying, , education pressure soviet authorities allowing jews leave country. in 2015, published memoir detailing efforts liberate soviet jews, open iron door: memoirs of soviet jewry activist. book focuses on how grassroots activism , acts of civil disobedience led important policy changes soviet jews.

in united states

weiss official emissary of former new york governor mario cuomo , former new york mayor rudolph giuliani.

weiss has served personal rabbi jonathan pollard, american spied israel sentenced life in prison in 1987. in 1992 weiss 1 of signators full-page ad in new york times calling release of pollard. in 1989 weiss conducted freedom seder in front of prison pollard incarcerated.

at speech @ new york city hall in 2001 weiss criticized president george w. bush not making clearer distinction between arab acts of terrorism , israeli acts of self-defense. trap s falling s drawn moral equivalency between cold-blooded murder , acts of self-defense, weiss said.

in april 2002 weiss organized pro-israel rally on national mall in washington, d.c. , boycott of several large newspapers perceived having anti-israeli bias.

in 2006 weiss organized protest in front of syria s un mission denounce hezbollah offensive in middle east.

in september 2011, weiss arrested in front of u.n. building in new york while protesting palestinian statehood bid.

in july 15, 2015, haaretz opinion piece, weiss applauded u.s. supreme court decision legalizing same-sex marriage, saw part of maintaining separation of church , state , protecting right refuse perform gay weddings. stated not participate in same-sex weddings, because doing run contrary religious commitments, had met countless gay individuals , couples, of whom members of synagogue, lived loving, exemplary lives. if welcome open arms not observe sabbath, kashrut or family purity laws, must welcome, more so, homosexual jews, born orientation.

in europe

weiss has travelled worldwide activist in various causes. in 1989 weiss , others protested @ carmelite convent had been established @ auschwitz. group—dressed in concentration camp clothing—scaled walls of convent, blew shofar, , screamed anti-nazi slogans. workers evicted them site. in 1993 pope john paul ii ordered closure of convent, had been located in converted building had stored zyklon b gas used kill prisoners @ camp during world war ii.

he protested president ronald reagan s visit ss cemetery in 1985. arrested in 1990 while protesting kurt waldheim s visit salzburg festival, , again in 1994, when protested in oslo, norway, when plo chief yasser arafat received nobel peace prize.

along rosa sacharin of glasgow, scotland, weiss sued american jewish committee in new york state court in 2003 stop construction of path through belzec extermination camp in poland. concerned mass graves @ site disturbed work.