Former Soviet Refusenik, activist, and Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA) Executive Director of National Major Donor Advancement Marina Furman will share her story of survival, strength, and resilience at JNF-USA’s Women for Israel Conversation at 12:00 pm PT / 3:00 pm ET / 10:00 pm Israel time on Monday, May 11. You can watch the event live on The Jerusalem Post's Facebook page.
For many years after the founding of the State of Israel, Jews living in the Soviet Union were denied the right to make aliyah. Those who protested were known as refuseniks and were subjected to brutal interrogations and imprisonment. Furman, who became a refusenik at age 18, and spent the next ten years fighting to convince the Soviet government to give Russian Jews permission to emigrate to Israel, will recount her fierce battle to protect her family and make aliyah. Furman was permitted to make aliyah to Israel in 1988 and worked as assistant to the Mayor of Raanana. Ten years later, she was appointed to the position of Israel emissary to the Jewish Community of greater Philadelphia, thus becoming the first Russian-born Israeli representative in the United States.
Registration for the program, entitled ‘Jewish National Fund's Women for Israel Zoom Conversation with former Soviet Refusenik Marina Furman,’ is required, and can be made by clicking here.
The Women for Israel Zoom Conversation is being held as part of JNF-USA’s Women’s Month, which is traditionally held each May when the organization celebrates and pays tribute to the women who support and build JNF-USA. Today, approximately half of the leadership positions at JNF-USA across the U.S. are held by women—including 21 National Board Members, 20 local Board Presidents, and 227 Task Force Members.
All donations made to JNF-USA’s Women’s Campaign will be matched up to $1 million through May 31, 2020. Donations can be made by clicking .