Vicki has been generously sharing her perspective at Jewlicious. But this week, she’s also sharing the wealth with Tolerant Nation.

Grey Goose vs. Black Bear
The bridge between Russian-Jewish relations is paved with rail drinks

By Vicki Boykis

Often, when I am at one Jewish gathering or another, people ask me where I’m from. These kinds of questions have been particularly loud lately, with Obama’s visit to Russia, which ended with him being ejected out of the country in a cannon

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Usually, they ask me because I’m wearing my “Ask me about my post-Soviet Jewish Troubles” button. “Oh, so gledd yu esked mi,” I reply perkily, dusting it off. “Ai em from Ruhsha. Mai famili eemigrated ven de Soviet Union kollapsed een 1991.”

“Oh, how was that,” the unsuspecting party usually asks sympathetically, associating Russia with refuseniks, Natan Sharansky and vodka made of 50% rubbing alcohol.

“It was pretty bad,” I say, conveniently omitting the fact that I was only five years old and the most stress I faced when leaving Russia was spilling airline food onto myself one hour into our trans-Atlantic flight. (more)

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Lisa Klug

Wordie. Foodie. Jewie. Nerdie. Ashkefardic keyboard addict. Visit me at lisaklug.com, on my travels and in the pages of my books, "Hot Mamalah: The Ultimate Guide for Every Woman of the Tribe," and "Cool Jew: The Ultimate Guide for Every Member of the Tribe."

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