Rabbi David Hill has been an activist on behalf of Jewish causes for over 60 years. Rabbi Hill helped build the Young Israel movement into the preeminent modern orthodox Jewish synagogue institution in the United States, serving as president of the National Council of Young Israel in the early 1960's. At about the same time, he became aware of the plight of Jews in the USSR and began meetings with senior American and Israeli leaders which played a significant role in placing the freedom of Jews in the Soviet Union on the world's agenda. From his position as president of Real Kosher Sausage Company (commonly known as "999"), Rabbi Hill founded "Operation Lifeline" through the National Conference of Soviet Jewry (NCSJ). The mission of Operation Lifeline was to nurture the Jewish bodies and minds throughout the Soviet Union through education, Jewish books of all kinds and kosher food. This important work continues today in communities throughout the republics of the former Soviet Union.