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Family Is All That Matters 140 The shortages, the rationing, the endless lines, the petty indignities, the constant fear—all these things were in the past. For example, when the family le Russia Iosif wanted to take the wheelchair Iosif had built for Yeva with them. The security guards refused, claiming that Iosif might have hidden money or jewels in the pipes. Eventually Iosif was allowed to take the chair and check it as luggage. Iosif and Lyubov were now ee to live as they wished, worship as they wanted, and to make new lives for themselves. Best of all, they were reunited with Lev. On the other hand, the Volsuns were too sophisticated to think that living in America would solve all their problems. And fate was working in ways no one could anticipate. Some things would change for the better, some for the worse. No matter their location, Yeva still had a disability. Above: Zhenya, Lyubov, and Rosa swimming in the Dead Sea in Israel, 1981. Previous page: Iosif, Lyubov, Yeva, and Lev Volsun in Rochester, New York, 1981. When they landed in Vienna, Iosif was surprised that the airline offered the family a wheelchair. The same thing happened in Rome, where they arrived by train om Vienna to wait for visas. Iosif was moved beyond words. At the hotel in Rome, people offered Yeva cotton candy. Nothing like this happened in Russia, where disabled people were invisible. "It was another world to me, another planet," Iosif says. In the five weeks that they waited in Rome for their visa, Lyubov learned how to speak Italian just by being iendly to people. Whenever she bought a loaf of Italian bread, she had long conversations with everyone in the store. While Iosif waited in Rome, Lyubov's oldest sister Zhenya invited her to visit Israel. Lyubov went to Israel for 10 wonderful days and traveled with Zhenya all over the country, including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The 52 and 54-year-old sisters did a lot of dancing and singing, in some of the happiest days of Lyubov's life. It was great to be in Israel, where Jews could worship as they pleased without fear. Zhenya took Lyubov to swim in the Dead Sea. Lyubov was a bit scared of water—she never learned to swim well—and was aaid of drowning. Zhenya had to laugh, "My dear, it is impossible to drown in the Dead Sea!" And, indeed, Lyubov went into the highly salty water and laughed and laughed when she realized everyone floated. Iosif was prepared to move to Israel; in fact, Russian Jews could leave Russia only if they said they were going to Israel. But once back in Rome, Lyubov made it clear that they were going to America to join their son. While in Rome, American CIA agents debriefed Iosif a number of times, seeking any information he could give them. It was the middle of the Cold War and each side was seeking every advantage it could get. Eventually the Volsuns' papers were in order and the trio le for New York. Lev had prepared for his family's arrival by buying a house for them. He had also bought

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