St. Louis Character: Lena Pearlman

When Lena Ilyashov Pearlman turned 6, she was given a gift that became a vivid and transformative memory. Her family living in Minsk, Russia, immigrated to the U.S. and settled in St. Louis in 1979. Lena's father, Semyon Ilyashov, was a watchmaker, and her mother, Alina, a baker. They weren't allowed to practice their Judaism, tried to leave, were denied, lost their jobs, and were finally granted permission to emigrate.

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