The diamond in this necklace was smuggled out of the Soviet Union in 1979 when my family left. My family spent almost two thousand years in Central Asia, primarily in Uzbekistan. Initially, they were exiled from ancient Israel to Babylon. They then became subjects of the Persian Empire, and eventually settled in Uzbekistan due to its placement on the Silk Road. For many generations, they were silk traders. When the Soviet Union conquered Uzbekistan, my family’s property was confiscated and redistributed. Most of their valuables, including their jewelry, were taken as well, but they kept some hidden, which enabled them to start over. Under Soviet rule, my family adapted: they learned Russian, served in the Russian military, attended university, and kept their Judaism confined to the home. However, they still experienced government-fueled antisemitism. My family decided to emigrate. After seven years, they were finally given permission to leave the Soviet Union, but they were forced to leave all their money and property behind. They managed to successfully smuggle out this diamond, which was made into a necklace. They spent several months in Austria, and finally arrived in the United States of America with refugee status. This necklace is a reminder of where my family comes from, how we arrived in America with virtually nothing and made this country our home. 

– Jessica

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant