“Our parents, Moish and Lillian Antopol, were hounded by the FBI for labor organizing and Communist Party activities promoting human brotherhood, justice and world peace. All of that was considered subversive during our childhood years from the 1940s through the early 1960s. Our father’s imprisonment occurred before we were born (his cell-mate, also a labor organizer during the Depression, was our mother’s brother who arranged a blind date at a Communist Youth Organization rally). The memories of our childhood experiences enable us to empathize with the families helped by the RFC. We understand the pressures of living under government scrutiny and illegal surveillance. In our blue-collar family, the blacklist caused constant financial insecurity. Our parents did not intend for us to sense their defiance and fear, to feel isolated in our neighborhood, to get indigestion when FBI agents barged in at dinner times, to learn wariness or to shoulder the terrible burden of keeping dangerous secrets. With gratitude, we remember sharing ongoing support with our family’s brave and generous comrades and the freedom of being with their children. We cherish enduring images of our mother leading songs, our father leading discussions, and the fun we had at Party picnics. Our lives have honored our parents’ values. With this fund in our parents’ memory we carry forward our legacy to another generation of activists who continue the struggle for freedom, justice and peace.” - the Antopol family
Anyone who wishes to donate to the Moish and Lillian Antopol Memorial Fund should indicate that designation when making a contribution to the RFC.