The story of the Marina and Nikolai, who made the difficult decision to repatriate to Israel, is filled with unexpected discoveries and emotional experiences. The couple were leaving with their two sons – Igor and Stanislav as well as Stanislav’s wife, Aleksandra.
It would seem that their life in Russia was settled and measured, but somewhere deep in their hearts, some kind of dream was maturing. Its realization, as Marina and Nikolai believed, seemed as vague as lines on the water. But in 2022, having seriously considered repatriation for the first time, they took it upon themselves to apply for Israeli citizenship, barely informing their closest relatives about it. It was as if something invisible accelerated their path.
The process of reviewing their application moved faster than they could have expected. Soon, surprising news arrived: the family learned of their deep, long-lost heritage. Marina was surprised to learn that her great-great-grandfather was one of the first Russian Jews to come to Palestine in the early 20th century. Her ancestor not only settled in Haifa, but, as it turned out, built an entire street there. This place, according to distant relatives, remains residential and lively to this day. He also founded the first music school in Haifa and earned fame as a talented musician. These discoveries seemed to fill her heart with an unusual thrill, as if they were calling her home, to the place where her family’s history was closely intertwined with the history of Israel’s founding.
The wait and preparation for the move lasted almost two years. They had to wait an especially long time because Marina’s eldest son, Stanislav, had just married his beloved, Aleksandra. They had to go through all the procedures from the beginning, and only a year later, when all the documents were approved, they were able to join the family in this endeavor. This waiting time became a period of reflection and becoming closer for the whole family. They began to understand that their history was more than just life in Russia, and that this history was calling them to itself.
For Marina, the move was not an easy decision, because her mother and brother remained in Russia. Her brother is now also thinking about repatriation, feeling that this could become a new stage in his life. He is only just considering this step, but one can already feel the influence of his family history on his heart. Nikolai’s relatives also remained in Russia, but they are young and strong, they supported this decision and promised to think about reuniting with the family in the future.
All the family members have promising professions – all of them, from Marina to Stanislav, are talented programmers. This skill and their knowledge give them confidence that they will find work in Israel, will be able to take a worthy place and contribute to the development of their new homeland.
With each step, they increasingly felt that they were following something significant. This is a story about those who, not knowing their calling, find it in the shadow of their family history. This is a reminder that the road home can be long, but when the time comes, the heart feels this path immediately.