Sen. [Edward M. Kennedy], who was represented by Alan Solomont at the Marblehead synagogue event, made a personal appearance last Friday at a rally sponsored by the ADL and other Jewish groups at Brandeis University in Waltham, the morning after his second and final televised debate with [Romney]. Appearing on the dais with him at the Gosman Center were Alan M. Dershowitz, Harvard law professor, Steven Grossman, AIPAC president and former chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party; Natan Sharansky, a former "refusnik" who is an occasional lecturer at Brandeis; Rabbi Samuel Chiel of Temple Emanuel in Newton; Lenny Zakim of the ADL; Brandeis President Jehuda Reinharz; and elder-activist Elsie Frank, who introduced herself as "[U.S. Rep.] Barney Frank's mother."

"We know about Schindler's lists," Dershowitz said, referring to the heroic efforts of Oskar Schindler to rescue Jews during World War II. "But do we know about Kennedy's lists? Every time I went to the Soviet Union, when I carried a letter from Sen. Kennedy, the Jews I was looking to help emigrate were allowed out. We owe Sen. Kennedy an enormous debt of thanks. He has worked behind the scenes as well as in the light of public opinion."

Boris Katz, a former "refusnik," spoke to the crowd of around 200 that included dozens of Brandeis undergraduates holding bright blue and white "Kennedy for Senate" banners, saying, "Sixteen years ago I was in Moscow. It was a desperate time. Sen. Kennedy intervened on our behalf. He helped us get our freedom."