Olga’s Journeys
This story was collected and written by students at Florida International University (FIU).
Authors: J.D., J.L., S.M, and E.U.
In 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed and the economy began to decline, a nineteen-year-old young woman named Olga learned she would be migrating with her family to a new country. Olga came from a more privileged family compared to many other young adults in her country. Due to their heritage, her family got the opportunity to migrate to Israel and obtain a better education for Olga.
In Russia, industrial facilities closed down. Thousands of people lost their jobs and source of income, which led to many going hungry. The crime rate skyrocketed, and the country quickly became unsafe. Additionally, most of the universities in the city were closed down, so Olga had few options for pursuing her studies.
In a conversation conducted primarily in Russian and translated into English by her trusted family member, Olga shared stories about the multiple migrations that eventually led her and her family to Florida in the 2020s, but began in the former USSR in the early 1990s. Olga described how during the Cold War, Russians like her family lived behind an “iron curtain”. This iron curtain was an invisible wall that divided Eastern Europe (consisting of USSR-governed nations) from the more democratic countries of Western Europe, where citizens enjoyed greater rights and freedoms.
Olga’s family learned of the “Law of Return” that Israel provided, whereby Jews, their children, grandchildren, and their spouses were granted the right to become Israeli citizens. By this law, Olga received an opportunity to migrate and attend a university in Jerusalem. A drop of Jewish blood from her paternal side had given her the chance to make this move possible.
Olga described the family’s move to Israel as one of her most life-altering experiences. She recounted that, during the Soviet era, it was uncommon for people to leave the country at all. Many remained and formed their futures there, with limited opportunities. She said that only diplomatic people were able to leave and travel freely.
Olga shared that at that time, Russian citizens also possessed limited knowledge regarding Western countries and practices. As her family was leaving Russia in the early ’90s, Olga noted, Soviet Russians knew little to nothing concerning the mentality, culture, political, and economic structure of other countries. She said this lack of education and awareness of other places and cultures formed a major reason why it was terrifying for her family to even think about moving; the family was not even fully aware of the possibilities travel could open for them.
Olga remembered that most of her family members worked at the Serbian industrial facilities. Both of her parents were mechanical engineers, her mother involved in constructing space aircrafts and her father working as a developer of optic systems for distinct types of weapons.
Recalling her childhood in Russia, Olga mentioned how during the Soviet era, it was common for children to be sent away to “pioneer camps” for the entire summer. She fondly reminisced, “One of the activities that left a major impact on me was a bonfire near the riverbank, or in the woods at sunset. We sat around the fire and sang patriotic songs. In this moment, we all felt unified and connected as a group.”
Olga reflected that she never got to develop a sense of home in Israel, feeling perpetually disconnected from the culture, traditions, and rules. As a non-Jewish or non-converted woman, Olga said she was not allowed to marry a Jewish man and could not be buried in the “Holy Land of Israel”. When she met Alex, a Ukrainian-Jewish man who would become her husband for the next 23 years, Olga said they had to get married in Cyprus for their marriage certificate to be valid. Alex, Olga’s husband, also migrated to Israel from the USSR when he was younger. They shared similar cultural backgrounds and stories, which connected them. After marrying and starting a family with Alex, Olga says she had to acknowledge how her children would find themselves categorized under the same “in-between” status of non-Jewish people living in Israel.
Olga also shared her perspective on conversion, and how that influenced her decision as a woman not to convert to Judaism. She said, “Conversion is a long and serious process that is done under the supervision of a religious institution. It forces you to accept a new lifestyle. You have to accept your gender role. You have to follow a strict code of what to eat and wear, and when and how you pray and practice religious rituals. It can be mentally challenging if you personally don’t resonate with this.”
Regardless of these factors, Olga said she still considers Israel to be a unique country with many special features. She noted that it took her all 9 years that she lived in Israel to fully comprehend the complex language and gain proficiency in Hebrew. Nonetheless, she explained that the reason it wasn’t challenging for her to accept the cultural difference was because she was young, resilient, independent, and curious. For Olga, it was a process of learning and exploring completely new things all on her own. That was, she pointed out, until she had a daughter.
After their daughter’s birth in 2001, Olga and her husband decided to move from Israel to Canada to give their family “a better life”. Olga reflected that when she was young, she was only responsible for herself. It was easier to accept whatever life brought her way when she was only risking herself. She said her mind changed once she had her daughter.
Olga realized that in addition to the in-between status of a non-Jewish person, her daughter would have to live in a country that was always in conflict with its neighbors and existed in constant political tension. As a result, her family decided to move to North America, seeking more equality and safety. Olga said she wanted her daughter to feel “included in society” and “live in security”. She realized at the time she was now responsible for more than just her own life and had to provide more stable living conditions for her daughter. She noted that her family was privileged enough to migrate in the early 2000s, a time when Canada had permeable borders and was more “friendly” with the U.S. than it is now.
As a result of this move, Olga said her life changed drastically for the better. She said she finally received all that she had long hoped for: “safety, equality, and better living conditions” for her family. She also stated, “Canada was an amazing and multicultural country, in which everyone is accepted for who they are. No one sees you as a second-class citizen. Its nature is beautiful and the climate is similar to my country of origin. In Israel, all holidays are connected to religion. Thus, I did not consider them to be my own because we were not part of that culture.”
In Canada, Olga and her family could celebrate traditions similar to those of their original culture. Since Canada is such a diverse country, there are festivities for holidays that are celebrated in different parts of the world. She said she got the chance to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s again. She was also able to invite friends to share these moments, which helped her find a much sought-after “sense of belonging”. Olga said she achieved “cultural relief” because she felt comfortable. She and her family could be who they are in Canada. In time, Olga and her family obtained Canadian citizenship.
In our conversation, Olga reflected on how her next migration, from Canada to Florida in the 2020s, was not much of a major, impactful shift in her life. She said, “First of all, we have been here many times before. We moved due to my husband’s work, so we knew exactly what to expect. The language is the same as in Canada. Culture-wise, there are more similarities between Florida and Canada than differences. Just as in Canada, it is a very multicultural environment. The ratio of cultural groups is diverse between the countries. The difference was simply that Canada represents a lot of people from Asian countries ,and Florida represents more people from Central and North American countries”.
Climate played a large part in the consideration of the move. Olga said she was tired of dealing with the heavy snow during the winter and being trapped inside due to the blizzards. In addition to this, Olga’s family is certified divers and they desired to move to a place where the ocean is easily accessible. Olga appreciates the natural beauty of marine life ,and Florida seemed like the ideal place for this.
Over the course of our conversation, it became clear that migration shaped large parts of Olga’s life and informed the ways she viewed her family. Olga’s journeys have given her life in Florida deeper meaning and purpose.
