Sylva Zalmanson stood up to the USSR, and won. Made famous as the only woman in the Leningrad Trial 50 years ago for hijacking an empty plane to get to Israel, she was finally freed from Soviet jail in 1974 and made Aliya. Now a famous painter, she shared with Eve Harow some of her memories of that terrible time and the desperation that drove them to risk their lives to escape the Evil Empire. Her daughter Anat, who joined the interview, produced a film about her parents’ experiences called ‘Operation Wedding’. (www.operation-wedding-documentary.com/) These are the Jews who changed the world and we cannot forget their bravery and heroism. A timely reminder to never take our freedoms for granted.
