Selected text
I think I had a good life. I have never thought about my roots or
Jewish history before. Frankly speaking, I didn't care about Israel or
about the Six Day War. I still think that Israel has to return the occupied
lands to the Palestinians. We have never discussed emigration to Israel in
our family.
Recently I've become more interested in the life of the Jewish
community. I read Jewish newspapers and visit the Hesed center. Only when I
grew old did I learn about Pesach, Yom Kippur, Hanukkah, etc. I might blame
my parents, but I understand that they lived their lives as best as their
understanding allowed them. They were raising us as Soviet
internationalists with no national roots. Such were the times, and they
followed the rules of those times.
Now I'm trying to fill in the gaps. I have enrolled in a course in
Yiddish, and I celebrate Jewish holidays at home. My daughter wasn't raised
as a Jew and we chose her nationality to be written as Russian (my wife's
nationality). This was in tribute to the times.
My wife and I have submitted our documents for emigration to Germany.
It is difficult to live in Ukraine. I would hope for the best. Thank you.
Jewish history before. Frankly speaking, I didn't care about Israel or
about the Six Day War. I still think that Israel has to return the occupied
lands to the Palestinians. We have never discussed emigration to Israel in
our family.
Recently I've become more interested in the life of the Jewish
community. I read Jewish newspapers and visit the Hesed center. Only when I
grew old did I learn about Pesach, Yom Kippur, Hanukkah, etc. I might blame
my parents, but I understand that they lived their lives as best as their
understanding allowed them. They were raising us as Soviet
internationalists with no national roots. Such were the times, and they
followed the rules of those times.
Now I'm trying to fill in the gaps. I have enrolled in a course in
Yiddish, and I celebrate Jewish holidays at home. My daughter wasn't raised
as a Jew and we chose her nationality to be written as Russian (my wife's
nationality). This was in tribute to the times.
My wife and I have submitted our documents for emigration to Germany.
It is difficult to live in Ukraine. I would hope for the best. Thank you.
Location
Ukraine
Interview
Leonid Karlinsky