Yaakov (Jacob) Birnbaum (born 10 December 1926) is the founder of Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry (SSSJ) and many other human rights organizations. Because SSSJ was the first initiative to address the plight of Soviet Jewry, he is regarded as to be the father of the Movement to Free Soviet Jewry. He is a son of Solomon Birnbaum and a grandson of Nathan Birnbaum.
Serendipitously, Mr. Birnbaum's day of birth coincides with Human Rights Day which was established on his 22nd birthday.