Jewish Newcomers from the USSR - Their Jewish Consciousness

Born in Groznyy, Chechnia, 1962. Father engineer; mother teacher. Childhood memories: family living at grandparents home; finding out she was Jewish only by chance from neighbor when still small child. Attending kindergarten at four years old. Jewish-Chechnian relations good, 1960s-1970s. School studies, 1969-1979. Opinion of Israel influenced by regime's anti-Israeli policy; regarded Israel an imperialist state. Studies at mathematics faculty in local University, 1979-1984. Attitude towards Israel and consequently towards local Jews changed after earthquake in Armenia, when Israelis were first to send food and rescue experts. Normal relations among various nationalities during her university studies. Dissuaded from marrying Russian boyfriend by father's opposition. Teaching mathematics after graduation. Marriage to Jew, 1985; two children. Family not religiously observant; Jewish festivals celebrated with grandparents. Relations with Chechnians deteriorating in 1991. Immigration to Israel in 1992.