Born in 1905 into a traditional Jewish family where Hebrew was spoken, he left home for Israel with a group of young Zionists when he was 15 years old. He returned to Russia because his father became sick, and graduated at a college in Moscow. During following years he fought for equal rights for all Jews. In 1948 he was arrested, together with an underground group of Zionists, and was charged with Zionist activities. The “OSO” (Special Tribunal Committee) sentenced him to 10 years of labor camp. After his release from the camp he continued to fight for the right to leave the Soviet Union for Israel. Only in 1973 was his dream realized. He passed away in 1983.