Episode #7
Beyond the Iron Curtain: Lana’s Journey from Soviet Odessa to the Windy City
In this episode, hosts Alva and Ingrid recount the gripping story of Lana, whose family fled institutionalized antisemitism in the Soviet Union during the late 1970s. From birth certificates marked by ethnicity to professional quotas that stifled opportunity, Lana describes a world where being Jewish meant facing constant discrimination. The narrative follows her family’s high-stakes gamble: applying for exit visas that rendered them "stateless" and jobless while they waited for permission to leave. The journey takes listeners from a triumphant border crossing—marked by her father’s defiant act of smuggling a worthless ruble—to the ancient wonders of Rome, and finally to a cold, gray March day at O’Hare Airport. Lana reflects on the culture shock of suburban Chicago, learning English via cartoons, and her transition from state-mandated atheism to a Jewish private school. Now a proud American, Lana offers a powerful perspective on why immigrants often cherish the freedom and self-determination of the United States more than those born into it.
