Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

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Get inspired by Edelstein’s story of Zionist bravery. 

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein was born in the Soviet Union (now Ukraine) to a Jewish family.

His grandfather had taught himself Hebrew at the age of 70 and would listen to the Voice of Israel on a shortwave radio. When Edelstein’s grandfather died, Yuli began to study Hebrew and read books such as Exodus by Leon Uris, which inspired him.

In 1977, during his second year of university, Edelstein applied for an exit visa to immigrate to Israel. Turned down, he joined a small group of Hebrew teachers who held classes in their apartments.

This is when his daring battle against the USSR and for Israel began. This is his daring story of Zionist bravery.