As a result of the enormous international campaign led by his wife Avital, and increasing international pressure, Sharansky was released from the Siberian prison. He was brought to East Germany, and crossed the Glienicke Bridge (a bridge that crossed a river in Germany) to West Germany where he was met by his wife and family. He was exchanged for two Soviet spies. Sharansky was known for his defiance in the prison cells, so upon crossing the bridge, he was ordered to walk in a straight line towards his freedom. As a final act of defiance, Sharansky walked zigzagged across the bridge. He then moved to Israel, adopted the name Natan, and received the Congressional Medal of Honor.
See an article about Sharansky's release here.
This piece briefly describes some of the struggles and triumphs Sharansky faced upon immigrating to Israel. He came from the Soviet Union where his brilliance in the game of chess made him a prodigy in his home country. But he later arrived in Israel where the national sport was dancing on the beach in a much more laid back manner. This was a lot of adjustment! On the other hand, the Jews at the time of Sharansky's release were bonded together from the four corners of the earth by common desire to save the Jewish Soviets. Jews from America, Europe, Israel, and more came together in support of Sharansky's release and the work he continued to save our brethren.
EVENT #2 - Sharansky becomes Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel.
In 2009, Sharansky becomes Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel. Among the many policies that he has created, he feels strongly about integrating immigrants into Israeli society. This article explains a very recent example of a conversion reform bill that Sharansky is lobbying to pass in the Knesset. This bill will make it easier for immigrants to convert, and thus, living easier and less impoverished lives in Israel.
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