“When to Abandon Everything and Start Over: Emigration Stories from the Soviet Union.”
In the 1970s and 80s, ordinary people made an extraordinary decision to defy Soviet propaganda, antisemitism, and control to seek freedom and a better future. This talk is based on a compilation of gripping oral histories from more than 100 Jews who made the difficult choice to leave the “workers’ paradise” to pursue freedom. Stories of those who emigrated, and those who decided not to leave, give insight to the question: How does one decide to abandon everything and start over?
Yanina emigrated from the Soviet Ukraine in 1977. She graduated from MIT and worked as an engineer for 35 years at Raytheon and Draper Laboratory. She also coached a competitive math team at a Lexington’s Bowman Elementary school for 20 years, with her students being United States champions for most of those years. She and her husband are competitive ballroom dancers who have been US Champions and World semifinalists. Yanina and her husband have two daughters and three young grandchildren.