Svetlana Bondar

After the 1917 Revolution, four socialist republics were created within the former empire's territory: the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic, the Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic, the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, and the Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. On December 30, 1922, these republics came together to form the U.S.S.R. When the U.S.S.R. was formed, the government took control of everything, leaving people with little freedom. Many struggled with poverty and lived in fear of being punished for speaking out. For Jews, violent attacks like pogroms stopped, but they weren’t allowed to freely practice their religion or express their culture. Svetlana and her family were tired of living under communism and wanted a chance to live their lives in freedom.