The Kennedy legacy: American tragedy or betrayal?

By Alan Jay Gerber

With the passing of Sen. Edward Kennedy the United States has lost one of its most colorful and controversial political figures of this generation. Yet as the nation both mourned and was intrigued by his political and personal persona, there remained a few untied and loose historical threads that have as yet to be addressed.

What I wish to bring to your attention will be somewhat controversial and a bit complicated. What is to follow concerning the relationship between Senator Kennedy, President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Yuri Andropov will reflect negatively on the Kennedy legacy. Yet, as we assess those who call themselves friends of the Jewish people we must look at the entire picture, especially as to how they comported themselves with our enemies behind our backs.

Our history reflects a very fragile existence, and it is on our friends that we have come to depend for support and succor in times of need and distress. Their integrity can become a matter of life and death concern to us; the truth will help us to avoid, in the future, false friends and bogus promises.

As events in Washington unfold before our eyes, and as we watch with deep consternation the behavior of a president whose policies we question and whose motives we suspect, the following narrative should serve as a stern warning.

Ted Kennedy posed himself as a friend of our people, yet in my perusal of the most recent literature on the cause of Soviet Jewry I found his activism, when contrasted with other American political leaders, to be most wanting.

Among the books referenced for this essay are, "From Exodus to Freedom" by Rabbi Dr. Stuart Altshuler of Chapman University, where Kennedy's name as an active player on behalf of Soviet Jewry is referenced only once! Dr. Fred Lazin of Ben Gurion University, in his book, "The Struggle for Soviet Jewry in American Politics," cites Kennedy twice, once as a footnote.

The premier book on this subject, "Silent No More: Saving the Jews of Russia," by Dr. Henry Feingold does not even once make note of Kennedy's efforts on behalf of our brethren in the then-Communist empire. Not even once is he noted, not even as a footnote.

For all the talk and bombast about Kennedy by our Jewish leaders this past week, how many were able to cite substantive facts concerning Kennedy's assistance, where it made a difference, on really Jewish issues? In this I include the Soviet Jewry crisis that enveloped our community's attention for over twenty-five years, till the fall of the Communist empire.

This past weekend The New York Post reprinted an article from Forbes.com by Peter Robinson concerning an episode in American-Soviet relations. It involved some very questionable behavior by Kennedy that was never denied by the late senator.

Robinson cited an excellent book by Dr. Paul Kengor of Grove City College, titled, "The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism" (HarperCollins, 2006). In this book's appendix is found the complete "Text of KGB Letter on Senator Kennedy," a letter written by then KGB head Viktor Chebrikov to then Soviet leader Yuri Andropov, dated May 14, 1983.

This letter was first released, in part, to the public by a London Times reporter named Tim Sebastian, in 1992. Dr. Kengor reprinted the entire text in his book, with all the shocking details. It will be posted online at www.thejewishstar.com.

According to Kengor, Kennedy was very much opposed to Reagan's aggressive defense posture and policies against the Soviet Union. Accordingly, going through his pal, former US Senator John Tunney, Kennedy approached the KGB to inform them of his hostility toward Reagan's policies and of the need for cooperation between them to staunch Reagan's efforts at a strong defense posture against the Soviets.

This daring approach, especially on the cusp of the 1984 presidential elections, would indeed have created shockwaves within the American political establishment had it been disclosed at that time. But it was not until the fall of the USSR that these files were opened to western scholars.

Among the offers made to the Soviet leader was an effort to coordinate American media to enhance Andropov's image to the American people. What motivated Kennedy's pro-Soviet behavior in this matter is not explained. What we have here is the KGB leader's interpretation of the approach. If his account was accurate, and Kennedy never disputed this, what we have here is the senator actively engaging Communist leaders in order to influence the 1984 presidential elections.

My question is as follows: What really attracted Kennedy to the likes of a Yuri Andropov, himself a former KGB chief? This is indeed most mystifying. These actions could not have been taken in a vacuum. Somewhere down the line there must have been some history between these two about which we are still unaware. We will have to leave this to future historians to research and to their books that we may someday review.

Nevertheless, the one question that I would like to answer here, in part, is who was Yuri Andropov and how does he come to be of a concern to us Jews?

Let me attempt to answer this by giving you a few basic facts about this aging, powerful, Soviet leader who was destined to serve for only 18 months.

According to Dr. Lazin, anti-Semitism increased substantially under Andropov's brief rule. The tone set by Andropov throughout his bigoted career no doubt helped enhance this behavior and attitude by the Communists toward the Jews in the Soviet Union.

According to Dr. Feingold, Andropov was blamed by then Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev on March 20, 1973 for mishandling the nefarious "head tax" required of Jews, as payment to Soviet authorities for their free education, prior to leaving the workers' paradise. Because of the onerous financial burden it posed, this tax prevented many Jews from leaving in a timely fashion. By the way, Brezhnev's concerns were far from humanitarian. This tax was a public relations fiasco to the communists in the West, and that was what grieved the Soviet leader.

Further proof of Andropov's high regard for Jews was his opinion of one of the great heroes of Soviet Jewry, Natan Sharansky, whom he considered to have behaved "indecently" in court and who was therefore sentenced to 13 years of deprivation of freedom and three additional years in prison.

Feingold hints that a death sentence could have been imposed but for the intervention of cooler heads.

Of Andropov not much more is known, but for a man, a veteran of the governance of Stalin, one can only guess what other political and humane charms he must have exercised as KGB head. To him murder was a legitimate function of political power. One should not be surprised about this when we consider that one of his prime political mentors was that great humanitarian Laverenti Beria. All this begs the following:

How could such a personality attract the political confidence of a Ted Kennedy?

And further, can this relationship help now to explain the cool and distant demeanor that Kennedy reportedly exercised in his activities on behalf of Soviet Jews?

And finally, if it were not for Kennedy's timely endorsement of Obama, there would not have been an Obama candidacy and presidency. What was the ideological affinity between these two men, behind closed doors, that brought about this political alliance, and does this help explain, in part, Obama's rather cool and distant attitude toward the six million Jews in Israel?

I wonder, and so should you.The

By Alan Jay Gerber

With the passing of Sen. Edward Kennedy the United States has lost one of its most colorful and controversial political figures of this generation. Yet as the nation both mourned and was intrigued by his political and personal persona, there remained a few untied and loose historical threads that have as yet to be addressed.

What I wish to bring to your attention will be somewhat controversial and a bit complicated. What is to follow concerning the relationship between Senator Kennedy, President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Yuri Andropov will reflect negatively on the Kennedy legacy. Yet, as we assess those who call themselves friends of the Jewish people we must look at the entire picture, especially as to how they comported themselves with our enemies behind our backs.

Our history reflects a very fragile existence, and it is on our friends that we have come to depend for support and succor in times of need and distress. Their integrity can become a matter of life and death concern to us; the truth will help us to avoid, in the future, false friends and bogus promises.

As events in Washington unfold before our eyes, and as we watch with deep consternation the behavior of a president whose policies we question and whose motives we suspect, the following narrative should serve as a stern warning.

Ted Kennedy posed himself as a friend of our people, yet in my perusal of the most recent literature on the cause of Soviet Jewry I found his activism, when contrasted with other American political leaders, to be most wanting.

Among the books referenced for this essay are, "From Exodus to Freedom" by Rabbi Dr. Stuart Altshuler of Chapman University, where Kennedy's name as an active player on behalf of Soviet Jewry is referenced only once! Dr. Fred Lazin of Ben Gurion University, in his book, "The Struggle for Soviet Jewry in American Politics," cites Kennedy twice, once as a footnote.

The premier book on this subject, "Silent No More: Saving the Jews of Russia," by Dr. Henry Feingold does not even once make note of Kennedy's efforts on behalf of our brethren in the then-Communist empire. Not even once is he noted, not even as a footnote.

For all the talk and bombast about Kennedy by our Jewish leaders this past week, how many were able to cite substantive facts concerning Kennedy's assistance, where it made a difference, on really Jewish issues? In this I include the Soviet Jewry crisis that enveloped our community's attention for over twenty-five years, till the fall of the Communist empire.

This past weekend The New York Post reprinted an article from Forbes.com by Peter Robinson concerning an episode in American-Soviet relations. It involved some very questionable behavior by Kennedy that was never denied by the late senator.

Robinson cited an excellent book by Dr. Paul Kengor of Grove City College, titled, "The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism" (HarperCollins, 2006) . In this book's appendix is found the complete "Text of KGB Letter on Senator Kennedy," a letter written by then KGB head Viktor Chebrikov to then Soviet leader Yuri Andropov, dated May 14, 1983.

This letter was first released, in part, to the public by a London Times reporter named Tim Sebastian, in 1992. Dr. Kengor reprinted the entire text in his book, with all the shocking details.

According to Kengor, Kennedy was very much opposed to Reagan's aggressive defense posture and policies against the Soviet Union. Accordingly, going through his pal, former US Senator John Tunney, Kennedy approached the KGB to inform them of his hostility toward Reagan's policies and of the need for cooperation between them to staunch Reagan's efforts at a strong defense posture against the Soviets.

This daring approach, especially on the cusp of the 1984 presidential

elections, would indeed have created shockwaves within the American political establishment had it been disclosed at that time. But it was not until the fall of the USSR that these files were opened to western scholars.

Among the offers made to the Soviet leader was an effort to coordinate American media to enhance Andropov's image to the American people. What motivated Kennedy's pro-Soviet behavior in this matter is not explained. What we have here is the KGB leader's interpretation of the approach. If his account was accurate, and Kennedy never disputed this, what we have here is the senator actively engaging Communist leaders in order to influence the 1984 presidential elections.

My question is as follows: What really attracted Kennedy to the likes of a Yuri Andropov, himself a former KGB chief? This is indeed most mystifying. These actions could not have been taken in a vacuum. Somewhere down the line there must have been some history between these two about which we are still unaware. We will have to leave this to future historians to research and to their books that we may someday review.

Nevertheless, the one question that I would like to answer here, in part, is who was Yuri Andropov and how does he come to be of a concern to us Jews?

Let me attempt to answer this by giving you a few basic facts about this aging, powerful, Soviet leader who was destined to serve for only 18 months.

According to Dr. Lazin, anti-Semitism increased substantially under Andropov's brief rule. The tone set by Andropov throughout his bigoted career no doubt helped enhance this behavior and attitude by the Communists toward the Jews in the Soviet Union.

According to Dr. Feingold, Andropov was blamed by then Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev on March 20, 1973 for mishandling the nefarious "head tax" required of Jews, as payment to Soviet authorities for their free education, prior to leaving the workers' paradise. Because of the onerous financial burden it posed, this tax prevented many Jews from leaving in a timely fashion. By the way, Brezhnev's concerns were far from humanitarian. This tax was a public relations fiasco to the communists in the West, and that was what grieved the Soviet leader.

Further proof of Andropov's high regard for Jews was his opinion of one of the great heroes of Soviet Jewry, Natan Sharansky, whom he considered to have behaved "indecently" in court and who was therefore sentenced to 13 years of deprivation of freedom and three additional years in prison.

Feingold hints that a death sentence could have been imposed but for the intervention of cooler heads.

Of Andropov not much more is known, but for a man, a veteran of the governance of Stalin, one can only guess what other political and humane charms he must have exercised as KGB head. To him murder was a legitimate function of political power. One should not be surprised about this when we consider that one of his prime political mentors was that great humanitarian Laverenti Beria. All this begs the following:

How could such a personality attract the political confidence of a Ted Kennedy?

And further, can this relationship help now to explain the cool and distant demeanor that Kennedy reportedly exercised in his activities on behalf of Soviet Jews?

And finally, if it were not for Kennedy's timely endorsement of Obama, there would not have been an Obama candidacy and presidency. What was the ideological affinity between these two men, behind closed doors, that brought about this political alliance, and does this help explain, in part, Obama's rather cool and distant attitude toward the six million Jews in Israel?

I wonder, and so should you.