My Father's Youth

My father did not surrender an iota to the pressures of the communist culture.

My father’s young age, coupled with the distance from home, made it difficult for him to adjust to his new surroundings.

Life in Lubavitch

He rushed over and found the stranger lying on the ground with his eyes closed, completely unconscious. There was a distinctly toxic smell emanating from his mouth.

Modest and Arrogant Uncles

Musical Gift

During those years of hunger, many young Jews went to get tested: perhaps they would be accepted to the theater and would have some kind of income.

Miraculous Rescue on the Train

In those terrifying times, a train ride was treacherous undertaking for a Jew. If a Jewish passenger fell into the hands of one of the Machnovites, he could be taunted and eventually hurled to his death from the rapidly moving train. None of the other passengers would interfere or attempt to prevent the catastrophe.

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Samarkand »

By Hillel Zaltzman

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"Samarkand" tells the story of the Chassidic underground that operated in the Soviet Union, upholding Judaism during the rule of communist terror. Gripping narrative sweeps the reader to distant lands, and paints a picture of mysterious figures in Samarkand's alleys, secret Torah study under the constant threat of arrest by the KGB, and the long and hard fought victory in inspiring Jewish renaissance throughout the Soviet Union.

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