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Australia and the Struggle for Soviet Jewry: 1961–1972
Author(s) -
Rutland Suzanne D.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
australian journal of politics and history
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.123
H-Index - 23
eISSN - 1467-8497
pISSN - 0004-9522
DOI - 10.1111/ajph.12054
Subject(s) - slogan , diaspora , political science , emigration , power (physics) , judaism , isolationism , government (linguistics) , idealism , promotion (chess) , world war ii , economic history , foreign policy , political economy , law , media studies , sociology , history , politics , philosophy , linguistics , physics , archaeology , epistemology , quantum mechanics
The plight of Soviet Jewry emerged as a major issue for World Jewry after the Second World War. Both Israel and Jewish Diaspora communities campaigned to give Soviet Jews either freedom of religion or the right to emigrate. The 1960s saw the promotion of the latter, with the slogan “Let My People Go”. Whilst geographically isolated and only being a medium power, the Australian government played a key role, with Australian politicians at times acting against the advice of the public service. The politicians were swayed by idealism, whereas department officials pursued a pragmatic, realist approach, being only concerned with what they saw as Australia's core foreign policy interests.