From a Soviet upbringing to Jewish identity | Dan’s story

Video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/Nmw9jZM2aYU

The story of a Jew who grew up in the Soviet Union and learned little about his Judaism but some other hard lessons that would shape his life.

Dan is a high-level interpreter and a thoughtful, intelligent man. He reached out to me after noticing how different his experience as a Soviet Jew was from mine. I grew up deeply engaged with my Jewishness, while he grew up almost entirely disconnected from it. Our conversation convinced me that Dan's story needed to be documented and shared, so I invited him onto my podcast. What I heard was remarkable: the horrors his family endured, the gripping archival material he inherited documenting his grandparents' ordeals, and his unique perspective from working inside contemporary human rights organizations and other governmental bodies. Dan believes the progressive mission, which he sees as well-intentioned, is nonetheless misguided and heading toward dangerous territory. He also reflects candidly on the antisemitism he's encountered in his work as a translator in a world increasingly hostile to Israel.

If you would like to get in touch with Dan, you can write to him at: [email protected]
Want more on Soviet Jewry?

My interview with Anna Shternshis
https://youtu.be/hKN0_75EuqE
My interview with Igor Golyak
https://youtu.be/E5_n3p3Oto0
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