[Locke]

Originally Posted by Red Slinger

Yeah, they let us leave as long as we were going to Israel. However, my parents didn't want to because they didn't want my sister and I to have to join the army in Israel. I come from a proud, noble line of cowards. So my parents declared for Israel but ended up in Canada.

While the USSR was, more or less, willing to allow Jews to leave they certainly didn't make it a pleasant experience. After my parents applied they had to wait about 1 year (I think) for permission. During that time they were fired from their jobs, their friends and family were harassed, they had fliers posted with their pictures calling them traitors, they were followed constantly and they were essentially evicted from their apartment and moved into slum while they waited. And this was before they were given permission to leave.

So, I wouldn't call it an escape so much. They weren't crawling through barb-wire and dodging bullets. But it wasn't a simple plane ride either. It was probably a little easier to get out in the 70's than when your grandfather did it.

Yeah, his 'emigration' actually did involve more than a little barbed-wire and bullets and some leisurely strolls through lush forests in the dead of night.

But he didnt have to endure the harassment or resentment from his community. Its one of those double-edged sword stories where he wasnt Jewish so there was no harassment but it also meant that he wasnt allowed to leave either.

Thanks for sharing!