Legacies
In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed and so did restrictions on emigration. As a result, most of the organizations that had aided refuseniks disappeared. The movement for Soviet Jewry is over, but its spirit lives on and inspires other causes. As Judy Wolf, an American activist noted, when you throw pebbles into water, “the pebbles skim the water and the rings keep increasing.” Many activists have used the skills and knowledge they acquired helping Soviet Jewry to aid other groups. The mission has also changed for immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Some are now working to improve American life. Other newcomers have also contributed to life in their new homeland by tossing new pebbles into the water and watching as those rings continue to increase.