Born in 1930 near Vinnitsa, the Ukraine, he began to study Hebrew in his youth and thoroughly observed Jewish holidays and traditions. He was involved in Zionist propaganda and in1972 he was arrested for anti-Soviet activity and espionage for England (which was later altered to espionage for Israel) and was sentenced to 8 years in the Gulag plus 10 months exile. He was released in 1980; but only in 1985 was he able to join his wife and daughter in Israel.
