Emigration Stories from the Soviet Union

Yanina brings to life the voices behind her book, They Were Fighters: Oral Histories of Jews Leaving the Soviet Union. Based on interviews with more than 100 individuals, the book captures deeply personal accounts of families who risked everything to escape antisemitism and political oppression in search of freedom and dignity. These are not just historical accounts, but deeply human stories of loss, hope, and determination that continue to resonate today.

About the Author: Yanina Kisler was born in Soviet Ukraine and emigrated from the USSR in 1977 as a teenager. She is a graduate of MIT and worked as an engineer for 35 years. In recent years, Yanina completed an extensive oral history project, interviewing over 100 Jews who left the Soviet Union during the 1970s and 1980s. This work became the foundation of her book, They Were Fighters: Oral Histories of Jews Leaving the Soviet Union. Yanina and her husband have two daughters and three young grandchildren.