Si Frumkin appeared on a number of TV and radio shows and has contributed articles to countless magazines and newspapers. Si Frumkin taught a number of college level courses on Eastern Europe, Jewish history, and the Middle East. Si Frumkin participates in the Simon Wiesenthal Center Outreach and “Meet a Survivor” program, has gone on international missions to China and Japan for the opening of Holocaust exhibits there and is also an active advocate of the campaign to free Jonathan Pollard. In Los Angeles Si Frumkin worked closely with Zev Yaroslavsky who was SCCSJ executive director for 5 years and who headed the Calif. Students for Soviet Jews before being elected to L.A. City Council, and in 1995 to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.
Si Frumkin is currently the associate editor and columnist for the California-based Russian-language weekly 'Panorama', as well as a free-lance contributor to a number of national and international publications Si Frumkin founded the Southern California Council for Soviet Jews - an independent activist organization
Si Frumkin publishes Graffiti for Intellectuals - a biweekely newsletter. Contact Si Frumkin We need your help Articles from other authors Change Language
Welcome to Si Frumkin web site! Los Angeles Panorama. Si Frumkin lives now in Los Angeles Si Frumkin is a member of the Board of Directors of the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews. Si Frumkin had been appointed to the L.A. City Human Relations Commission in 1993, and in 2002 to the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Board.
 Si Frumkin is no longer with us,
                       but his mission continues...

Dear friends:

With deep sorrow in my heart, I inform you that my dearest beloved husband Si Frumkin passed away on Shabbat May 15, 2009 at 8:30 p.m. He was a true Tsadik, a holy man, an inspiration to all of us and his memory will always be in our hearts.

Ella Frumkin

ELLA FRUMKIN'S SPEECH AT THE MEMORIAL EVENT ON JUNE 14

It is extremely difficult to live without Si. I keep saying to myself: "I can not believe he is no longer with us."  However we have to preserve his legacy and keep the memory of Si alive. The most valuable asset we inherited from him is Southern California Council for Soviet Jews.

Ella Frumkin and Baruch CohonMost of his life he devoted to saving Soviet Jews. Together with his accomplices he literally saved tens of thousands of lives. But nowadays former Soviet Jews need to be saved again. They have to be saved from losing their homes. Southern California Council for Soviet Jews will provide counseling on loan modifications and other services to prevent our people from the disaster of becoming homeless.

There is an urgent need to help our immigrants and especially their children to become drugs free. Southern California Council for Soviet Jews plans to provide services to those who are unable to quit drug abuse on their own. Lots of Russian speaking immigrants are unable to get professional psychotherapy due to the language barrier. Southern California Council for Soviet Jews plans provide such services. It goes without saying all kinds of assistance will continue to be provided to the Association of Holocaust Survivors from former Soviet Union. Si Frumkin is no longer with us but his mission goes on.

I promise all of you that I will step into Si's shoes and will work like he did - full time for free. Southern California Council for Soviet Jews with deceased Si Frumkin as Chairman will function 24/7 in order to do good deeds to preserve his memory. I sincerely count on every bit of help from the officials because without your efforts and assistance it will be next to impossible to realize our plans.

I want to thank all of you for coming today to honor the memory of Si. My heartiest thanks to those who sent me letters and emails who gave obituaries to the newspapers, who donated funds to SCCSJ, who called me on the phone expressing their condolences and telling me how the loss of Si would affect their lives.

My special thanks go to Mila and Yasha Bronstein who worked tirelessly so that we could see and listen to Si today. I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the speakers for their kind words about my husband. He was a great man and I am not afraid to repeat again and again: "Let us keep the memory of Si alive!"

Thank you. Ella

Many people sent their condolences to Si's family.  We express sincere gratitude to them. Newspaper Panorama published many and many letters. We want to share those letters and speeches with the visitors of this site:

  • Zev Yaroslavsky
  • Martin Gilbert, UK
  • Natan Sharansky
  • Semen Itskovich
         (in Russian)
  • Republican Jewish Coalition
  • Dennis Prager
  • Theodore Bikel
  • and many-many others...

    		•

  • Panorama #20, Articles, part 1
  • Panorama #20, Articles, part 2
  • Panorama #20, Letters, part 1
  • Panorama #20, Letters, part 2
  • Panorama #20, Letters, part 3
  • Panorama #21, Letters

    • The Shloshim (30th Day) Memorial Service for SI FRUMKINElla Frumkin and Baruch Cohon
    Hero of the Jewish People
    was held on Sunday, June 14, 2009
    5:00 - 7:00 pm, in
    "Fiesta Hall", 7377 Santa Monica Blvd.
    Plummer Park, West Hollywood, CA

    Master of Ceremony:
    Los Angeles County Supervisor
    Zev Yaroslavsky

    The Speakers:
    Congressman Howard Berman,

    Radio Talk Show Host and Writer Dennis Prager,

    Helen Levin, The Association of Immigrants from Former USSR, General Shimon Erem, Founder and Chair of The Israeli Christian Nexus, Pastor Kevin Diekilman, Larry Greenfield, Alex Matlin, Baruch Cohon, Rene Firestone, Ella Frumkin.

    More than 300 people attended the service.

    "Appassionata"a video by Mila and Yasha Bronstein about Si, was shown at the Shloshim.

    The funeral took place at 2 p.m. Monday, May 18, 2009, at Mount Sinai cemetery in Los Angeles.  Family and friends gathered to say farewells to Si at Crystal Restaurant in West Hollywood.

    Russian-language Newspaper dedicated an entire issue to Si and published many and many letters from friends. To learn what other prominent publications said about Si at this difficult for the friends and family times, please read:

  • Los Angeles Times, Si Frumkin, Obituary
  • JTA, "Soviet Jewry activist Si Frumkin dies"
  • The Jewish Journal, Si Frumkin, Obituary
  • The Jewish Journal, "A Holocaust survivor worries
          about his ‘death sentence’"
  • San Francisco Chronicle,
          "Dachau survivor, textile maker Si Frumkin dies"
  • Russian Globe (Русский Глобус), "Памяти Сая Фрумкина"
  • News Day, "Si Frumkin, activist for Soviet Jews, dead at 78"
  • Jewlicious, "Si Frumkin, 78, Dachau Survivor
          Shamed the Free World to Free Soviet Jews

    • In lieu of flowers please donate to the order of Southern California Council for Soviet Jews (SCCSJ): P.O. Box 1542, Studio City, CA 91614.  Thank you.

    		Si Frumkin publishes Graffiti for Intellectuals - a biweekely newsletter.
    home of Si Frumkin website In 1989 Si Frumkin participated in the first-ever Union of Councils meeting in the Soviet Union, visited several cities, and met hundreds of Soviet Jewish activists.
    Si Frumkin Newsletters Si Frumkin co-founded and served as president of the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews that became the largest independent Soviet Jewry organization with over 100,000 members in more than 40 cities.
    Si Frumkin Publications
    Si Frumkin Biography
    Si Frumkin and other authors
    Contact the Family of Si Frumkin
    In Memoriam of Si Frumkin
    Video about Si Frumkin
    Candlelight Walk for the Soviet Jews in Los Angeles in December 1969.
    Si Frumkin has been very involved in legislation and campaigns dealing with restitution to Holocaust survivors worldwide