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Kazakov did not settle for the permit but demanded that his entire family be allowed to leave. He applied addition pressures upon the Soviet authorities and the climax of one of them was a hunger strike in front of the UN building in New York, which drew the media spotlight. The strike was supported by the Israeli embassy to the UN and by Jewish-American organizations, Zionist and non-Zionist alike. After nine days, the Israeli Ambassador to the UN informed Kazakov that he received a promise from the Soviets that his entire family would be allowed to make Aliya – which indeed arrived in Israel in February 1971. Being Israeli, Yasha Kazakov changed his both names to Hebrew names – Yaakov Kedmi. In the Eighties he joined "Nativ" and in 1992 he was appointed the head of the unit. The young man who fought the Soviets alone became one of the State of Israel's spearheads in the struggle for the Soviets Jews.
"Let my People Go" a stamp in Hebrew, Arabic, Russian and English, the Seventies
"A Tourism Initiative" of One Man
Beginning in 1964, the Soviet tourism agency "Intourist" permitted groups of tourists to visit the Soviet Union. Aryeh Kroll, a member of Kibbutz Sa'ad, who took part in one of the groups, decided to exploit the opportunity to visit the Soviet state in order to fan the Jewish-Zionist spark of the Jews beyond the Iron Curtain. The plan he initiated operated for 25 years and sent thousands of "tourists" to the Soviet Union in order to meet Jewish activists.
The first group was comprised of prominent members of the religious kibbutz movement, whom Aryeh knew well and trusted. They set out on their mission on September 4, 1966, on the eve of the high holidays. The members of the group, who all wore knitted yarmulkes, received special permission from Rabbi Haim Drukman to violate the Sabbath in the event they stayed a great distance from the synagogues, and if they are forced to pay in cash or sign something on Sabbath. All five of them – who at the time of their "tourist" journey dispersed
to several different cities in the Soviet Union – returned and reported on emotional contacts with hundreds of Jews. Following the positive report, Kroll decided to turn his initiative into a national mission. He made contact with Aryeh Pincus – who headed the Jewish Agency since 1965 – and he agreed that the Agency would finance the initial tourists.
Following the Six-Day War, the Soviet Union severed its diplomatic ties with Israel and since then, people carrying Israeli passports were prohibited from entering this country. Kroll decided to build a tourism system comprised of the world's Jews – including Israelis with foreign passports that concealed their Israeli identity. These would arrive at the addresses he provided them and fulfilled the missions he gave them.
In April 1968, the Head of "Nativ" Shaul Avigur called for Aryeh Kroll and notified him: "We have decided to adopt your plan. From this moment on we will help you operate it." That summer, he became a "Nativ" man – i.e. an employee of the Prime Minister's Office – and his initiative
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