Soviet Immigrants
Becoming Capitalists
NECHEMIA MEYERS
Special to The Jewish News
T
hough they grew up in
a socialist society,
some 10 percent of
Soviet immigrants become
practicing capitalists within a
few years of their arrival in
Israel.
Most set up businesses
without any particular train-
ing, but a growing minority
initially participate in special
courses, the two most impor-
tant of which are organized
by the Hebrew University
and Tel Aviv University.
There the newcomers study,
among other things, the prin-
ciples of Western economics,
interpersonal and business
communication, en-
trepreneurial risks and tax
regulations.
In addition to theoretical
studies, participants also
have the opportunity to
become acquainted with
specific factories and
businesses, as well as to
prepare plans for ventures of
their own. These plans are
subjected to the scrutiny of
real businessmen, so that the
would-be entrepreneurs can
learn the strengths and
weaknesses of their schemes
— before the learning process
costs them money.
But certain things cannot
be taught. As Professor Eitan
Miller of Tel Aviv University's
Faculty of Management puts
it: "We do not teach initiative
because that is usually in-
born or the result of early
education, not something
that can be acquired later."
Soviet immigrants entering
the business world are likely
to seek out fields where their
special background is of
value, as has advertising con-
sultant Stanislav Tomski. He
was associated with advertis-
ing in the USSR and thus is
well qualified to help local ad
agencies make an effective
pitch to consumers whose
thinking was shaped by the
Soviet experience.
It is not enough, says Mr.
Tomski, to merely translate a
Hebrew-language advertise-
ment into a Russian-
language one. For example,
contractors trying to sell
apartments to veteran
Israelis will typically em-
phasize the size of the apart-
ments, the number of rooms
and the availability of nearby
parking space. But im-
migrants, Mr. Thmski goes on,
are apt to be more interested
in the character of the
neighborhood than in the
layout of the apartment.
They'll particularly want to
know if it is near good schools
(where their children can
study), and to decent-sized
parks (where their aged
parents can stroll or play
chess).
Moreover, in the case of con-
sumer goods, immigrants
must often be persuaded that
a product is of value before an
attempt is made to convince
them that one brand is better
than another.
Unlike Mr. Tomski, Yuri
Volovsky entered a new field
— albeit linked to his Soviet
background — when he came
to Israel. After he found that
there was no work for him as
an engineer, Mr. Volovsky set
up his own private absorption
office to help newcomers deal
with their most immediate
problems: renting an apart-
ment, registering their
children at a suitable educa-
tional institution, buying
basic appliances and, where
possible, finding a job. Most of
these things are also handled
by official bodies, but many
newcomers are attracted by
the personal attention they
get from Mr. Volovsky.
Soviet immigrants who ,
have been here for some years
are more likely to embark
upon ventures where their'
Soviet background is of scant
importance. Thus Vladamir
Starkman created a company
which sells $300,000 a year
worth of devices that cut
down the water consumption
of toilets, while Alexander
Popov has established a firm
which does everything from
multimedia presentations
and graphics to translations
and typesetting.
Mr. Popov — with 28
employees and an annual tur-
nover of some $6 million —
originally concentrated on
work in English, French and
Spanish. Now, emphasis has
switched to Eastern Euro-
pean languages, including
Russian, Polish, Romanian
and Bulgarian.
Sasha Klein, whose film
company has made over 100
documentaries, has also turn-
ed eastward of late. Among
other things, Mr. Klein was
among those involved in
"Whispering Embers," Israel
TV's brilliant eight-part
series on Soviet Jewry.
The most recent indication
that immigrants from the
USSR are now part and
parcel of the local commercial
scene was the appearance last
month of Israel's first Rus-
sian-language phone book. ❑
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