The Case of Boris Kochubiyevsky

Boris Lvovich Kochubiyevsky was born in Kiev and orphaned at age five when his parents were murdered in the Babi Yar massacre. Kochubiyevsky essentially grew up Soviet, without Jewish identity and knowledge. He became an engineer and worked at a Soviet radio factory in Kiev. In 1967, in response to the Six-Day War, Kochubiyevsky contested a “unanimous” motion condemning “Israeli aggression” put forward during a factory meeting, demanding to be put on record as dissenting. After his forced resignation, Kochubiyevsky wrote an essay entitled “Why I Am a Zionist” and applied to leave the Soviet Union. His application was rejected; he was tried for slander and sentenced to three years of forced labor. Upon his release, Kochubiyevsky reapplied and was able to immigrate to Israel.