Elena Fridman. was allowed to leave. Ida was not. Her request was denied on the grounds that since she was an economist. she knew too many "state secrets." Further requests for Idas exit visa over the past 16 years met with similar denials. But. that was not the whole story. After being denied the right to emigrate. Ida began what the Soviet authorities termed a series of "crimes" that led to 4 years of Siberian exile. What did Ida do to deserve such harsh treatment? She began caring for other Soviet Jews who were similarly denied the right to emigrate and were later imprisoned for simply being true to their Jewish faith. For 7 years. Ida Nudel cared for her fellow Soviet Jews. gaining her considerable notoriety as the "Guardian Angel" of Jewish refuseniks in the Soviet Union.
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emigrate visa