“Stateless:” 10th Anniversary Screening and Celebration

Join HIAS President and CEO Mark Hetfield, director Michael Drob, and other special guests for a tenth anniversary screening of the documentary “Stateless,” followed by a Q&A and reception. The event will take place at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in NYC.

As the 20th century drew to a close, Soviet Jews were once again given permission to leave the USSR. Much like their predecessors of 1960s and 1970s, requesting to leave meant social and political suicide, and leaving the country meant the forfeit of citizenship and all personal property. Unlike their predecessors, those coming to the US were now burdened with having to prove “reasonable fear of persecution,” a concept not understandable to those born into a climate of persistent maltreatment. Because of this, thousands had their applications for refugee status denied — leaving them in Italy. Stateless.

The documentary film “Stateless” guides us through this experience as recalled by refugees themselves and expert testimony of representatives from HIAS, JOINT, NYANA, and other organizations. We are led through the immigration process, the critical trip through the Vienna-Rome pipeline, the crushing weight of the denials, and the changes to the United States policy that would ultimately change the very process itself.

This event will commence with a screening of the film, followed by a discussion and Q&A with the film’s director, Michael Drob; David Harris, former CEO of the American Jewish Committee (AJC); Mark Hetfield, President and CEO of HIAS; Amir Shaviv, Assistant Executive Vice President of JDC (JOINT); and other special guests. The festivities will conclude with a reception, where you can further engage with special guests, film participants, and attendees.