Born in 1954 in Moscow, he learned very early on about the ancient prophesies of the “return” of all “galut” Jews to Zion and the traditions of Israel. In 1973 he applied for a visa to emigrate to Israel, and this resulted in expulsion from the university and a draft card for service in the Soviet Army; but he refused to serve in the Soviet Army because he considered himself a citizen of Israel. In 1975 he was arrested and sentenced to 3 years in the Gulag. He served his sentence in the camps of Volgograd. He was released in 1978 and within several months left for Israel.
