Part Four: The Volftsuns in America 149
that Lyubov could be allowed to grow old with
me, and, two, that Yeva would be healthy."
Does Iosif believe in life aer death? "Yes," he
says. "Maybe it's selfish, but I can't accept that
aer a long life there is nothing le. I believe
there is a world to come and we all have a share
of it. I hope to see my mother and father and
Lyubov. I believe this."
What is Iosif 's favorite prayer? "The Kaddish,
because it is a good thing to think about one's
ancestors." Iosif says. "Every Saturday, when
the Kaddish is prayed, I always stand up for
the millions who have died who no longer have
anyone to stand up for them. I stand up and
pray on their behalf." Are there any regrets
at all? "In Russia, when my father died, I was
not able to go to synagogue and say Kaddish
for him. I was too aaid. I regret that. That's
why I am now so determined to stand at every
opportunity to say Kaddish."
Iosif is content. He prays every day and is
committed to Torah. What does he hope for?
"I want to be alive for Lana's and Stephanie's
marriages and I pray to God for them to find
good Jewish husbands, and then have great-
grandchildren I can hold. What else is there?"
Above: Stephanie Volsun's bat mitzvah
in Washington, D.C., on March 22,
2002. Back: Stephanie Volsun,
Maxine and Erika London, Michael
Starozitsky, Aleksander and Rita
London, Nicolai London, and Iosif
Volsun. Front: David London, Misha
Udler, Manya Volsun London, Nicole
London, Inna Volsun Moldavsky, Era
Starozitsky, and Inna Gluzman Primak
and Sergey Primak.
Le: Iosif Volsun with his
grandchildren, Stephanie and Lana, in
Boston, Massachusetts, 1992.
