Born in the former USSR, Natan Sharansky was a Prisoner of Zion, a leader of the struggle for human rights, and a prominent leader of the struggle to allow Russian Jews permission to emigrate to Israel. After his request to emigrate was refused, Natan was arrested and falsely accused of treason and spying for the USA. Nine years passed in the harshest conditions of solitary confinement in a Soviet prison, which culminated in his release following an international public battle for his rights which encompassed the State of Israel, Diaspora Jewry, and leaders of the western world. Upon his release in 1986, he immediately made aliyah to Israel.
In his first few years in Israel, Natan Sharansky established the Zionist Forum which worked to absorb Jewish immigrants from the USSR. In the 1990’s he founded the Israel Ba’aliyah party, aspiring to accelerate the absorption of USSR Jewry in Israel. He continued by filling senior positions in four Israeli governments, among them ministerial positions and that of deputy prime- minister.
from 2009 to 2018 , Natan Sharansky served as the Chair of the Jewish Agency..
Sharansky has published three books, received the Badge of Merit from the American Congress, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Now, as then, he continues working for human rights and freedom, believing that freedom is essential to world peace and security.