Morey Schapira (1949- ) first became active in the struggle to gain freedom for Soviet Jews in the late 1960s. Following his graduation from Case Western Reserve University in 1970 he worked in Boston as a research physicist for five years.
During his years in Boston Mr. Schapira's involvement with Soviet Jews broadened and deepened for he felt that the traditional Jewish leadership did not offer enough activities and programs on behalf of Soviet Jews. In 1971 he became president of the New England Student Struggle for Soviet Jews. This led in 1974 to his becoming a national vice president of the Student Struggle for Soviet Jews. While in Boston he also co-founded Action for Soviet Jewry of Boston and Medical Mobilization for Soviet Jews.
In 1977 he received an MBA from Harvard and completed a thesis entitled "U.S.-U.S.S.R. Technology Transfer." From Harvard he moved to San Francisco. From 1979-1984 he was president of the Bay Area Council for Soviet Jews, which had over 2,000 members. This group was one of the most active member councils of the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews which had 100,000 members nationwide. Mr. Schapira's reputation for commitment to and concern for the plight of Soviet Jews led him to become first a board member and then a national vice president of the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews. He was elected national president of the organization 1984-1986.
Mr. Schapira traveled to the former U.S.S.R. in 1974 to meet with leading Refuseniks and dissidents. He has spent time with Soviet Jews in Israel, spoken hundreds of times before various audiences about the Soviet Jewry issue, testified several times before Congress, and briefed Cabinet members on human rights issues before their trips to the U.S.S.R.
From the guide to the Morey Schapira, papers, Papers, undated, 1963, 1965-1993, 2010, (American Jewish Historical Society)
