The World - News from Jan. 18, 1988

Hebrew teacher Josef Begun, 55, said he and family members will fly to Israel today, ending his 16-year struggle to leave the Soviet Union. Begun said they will fly directly to Tel Aviv via Bucharest, Romania, in one day, unlike the majority of Jewish refuseniks, who first stop in Vienna before going on to Israel, to the United States or to other Western countries. Begun’s party includes his wife, Ina, 53; her mother, Dvora, 79; his son, Boris, 23; Boris’ wife, Yana, 23, and their two children, Tsimis, 5, and Inachka, 1. Begun has had permission to leave since September but said he had to stay to sort out his son’s visa problems.