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Choosing Life with Diana and Alex Tsigutkin

Rabbi Krauss sat down with SAR parents and community builders Diana and Alex Tsigutkin to talk about Jewish identity from behind the Iron Curtain to open, joyful Jewish life at SAR. Their journey—from whispered tefillah and secret minyanim to raising children steeped in Torah and Israel—speaks powerfully to our Theme of the Year: U’vacharta BaChayim, Choosing Life. They spoke about childhoods shaped by secrecy, the first sparks of learning and protest in America, and how sending their children to SAR became a decisive act of choosing life. They also reflected on the heroism of Natan Sharansky and the responsibility of Am Yisrael to stand together—especially now. Topics they touched on: Judaism in hiding in the Soviet Union First encounters with open Jewish life in New York The decision for day school education Israel as a lifelong anchor Sharansky’s resilience as a model for our students Main Insights 1) Identity Kept Quiet—and Kept Alive Diana describes a home where Jewish practice was whispered, not worn. “We were trained from a very early age not to speak about anything… at home.” Her grandfather, educated before the Revolution, still gathered to daven—discreetly. 2) A Hidden Minyan and a Watchman at the Door Alex recalls that in his city, the only visible Jewish moment was saying Kaddish after a funeral: “A group of ten men would get together… and the 11th person would be standing outside looking out.” Arrest was a real fear. Why it matters at SAR: When our students form a minyan in school, they’re inheriting courage from Jews who guarded the doorway so the words of our tradition could be said. 3) From Refugee to Protester: Finding a Jewish Voice As a new student at Yeshiva University, Alex was urged to join a protest for Anatoly (Natan) Sharansky. “Come… Jews have to protest. We need, ‘Let my people go.’” That night taught him that American Jews would stand with Soviet Jews—and that he belonged to Am Yisrael in action. Why it matters at SAR: We nurture civic courage and ahavat Yisrael. Jewish voice in public matters—then and now. 4) “A Link in the Chain”: Sharansky on Never Being Alone Diana’s most formative lesson from Sharansky came during an early-pandemic interview: “I really never felt alone… I felt like a part of this long chain… part of the Jewish nation.” Why it matters at SAR: Belonging isn’t abstract; it’s experienced. Our students learn they are links in a living chain through Torah study, chagim, and everyday acts of chesed. 5) Choosing Day School = Choosing Life The Tsigutkins chose Jewish education so their children wouldn’t have to “start from zero.” The moment that confirmed it? Alex remembers hearing “Jewish voices singing in unison, Jewish prayers” at SAR—“a cornerstone” for their decision. Speaker Impact Their children’s path—learning in SAR, time in yeshivot in Israel, deep connection to Am Yisrael—stands in bright contrast to their parents’ childhoods. As Diana put it, our students are “very fortunate” to grow in a school where connection to Israel is sung and studied daily. The Tsigutkins’ story shows our students that identity is both gift and responsibility. Why This Matters Now Alex’s message to our community is urgent and unifying: “We are all one nation.” In a year marked by challenge for Am Yisrael, his call echoes our Theme of the Year—U’vacharta BaChayim (Choose Life): choose unity over noise, purpose over fear, Am Yisrael over partisanship. Their lives testify that our people endure when we act together—through learning, tefillah, and standing up for each other. Closing Diana and Alex moved from secrecy to song, from guarded doorways to open hallways filled with tefillah. Their journey affirms our mission: to raise children who know they are part of a long chain and who choose life—every day—through Torah, mitzvot, love of Israel, and chesed. May we continue to be worthy partners in their story and in the story of Am Yisrael.