I began to be proud and to war against the antisemitic homeroom teacher. against many of my peers. against any who dared to pronounce the word "zhid." In 1977 I finished school. Jews were leaving Kiev in thousands. but this stream did not engulf our family. At the bottom of our hearts we understood that emigration afforded the only real opportunity to begin a fullfledged lifebut it was too problematic and too scary... To begin with. we didnt even have enough money to pay the federal tax (to apply for exit visas). let alone afford any other expenses. And. most importantly. we didnt have the physical health essential for the struggle. My grandfather had just turned 78 at that time. he had become completely blind. was partially paralysed. and had sustained a heart attack.
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emigration visas