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And now Rob on the Road, exploring Northern California.

Rob: On Rob at Home, the journey of the Gofman family from Kyiv to California.

The year was 1979, Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union, when little Elina Gofman, her parents, and her mother'’s parents, fled anti-Semitism and a communist regime on a one-way ticket to America.

They settled in Folsom and would see their homeland of Ukraine grow into an independent country with the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Today, they are watching the unimaginable unfold.

And joining me now are Elina Martinez and Boris Gofman from their home.

Good to see both of you and thank you for joining us.

Elina: Thanks for having us, Rob.

Boris: Our pleasure.

Of course.

Rob: Glad to have you, and we'll have some more of your family joining us, coming up in the half hour.

But I want to start with you, Elina.

Tell me, first of all, how you're feeling just in this moment, right now, watching, and seeing, and hearing what's going on.

Elina: It's almost unbelievable.

You think to yourself that we learn from history, but apparently, we don't- we haven't.

Um, my family are Ukrainian Jews.

We moved here over 40 years ago.

Um, we're from Kyiv, and you just don't think that you'll ever see something like this again, the atrocities that are happening, the constant stream of bombing, and people fleeing.

And it's just- it's... it's overwhelming.

Um, it's interesting because, for me, I never really thought about, you know, "Ukrainian," "Russian-" We were all, when we left, um, Soviets, and we were all considered Russians.

And you know, my best friend growing up in San Francisco also considered herself Russian, but she's from Moldova.

Rob: Mmhmm.

Elina: I'’m from Ukraine, but we were all Russians.

We all spoke Russian.

Rob: Will you unpack that a little bit for people watching, to help them understand that?

Elina: Sure.

Um, so, when we left, there was so much anti-Semitism happening in the Soviet Union and- years and years of it, and... and oppression, that my family decided to, you know, look for a better life, here, in the United States.

But again, you know, when we moved here, didn't matter what region you were from- whether you were from Belarus, from Russia, from the Ukraine, from Moldova, from wherever- we were all Russians.

We all spoke Russian.

We all related to it.

So, it's interesting right now, watching all of it.

The country that Ukraine is, now, was not the country we left.

But now, I'm finding myself feeling such a strong solidarity with the people of Ukraine, because they, too, are trying to flee something that they've spent 40 years rebuilding and changing and trying to get this newfound independence and freedom to be who they want to be.

I mean, they've come a long way.

They have a Jewish prime minister.

They have a Jewish president.

They have Jewish people all at the top.

You would have never seen that, when we were there.

And so, watching this newfound freedom and this new country, who's worked so hard to gain this freedom, to just be pummeled and taken, you know, trying to- uh, be oppressed again is- It's... it's horrible.

So, after having a little bit of an identity crisis, I think, now, I'm- you know, definitely, when people ask me who I am, I say, "I'm a Ukrainian Jew."

And that's... and now, I'm not Russian anymore.

Rob: Have you talked to anyone since the- Boris: Yes, I have...

I have- I...

I have a very good friend of mine that- I'm a...

I'm a professional- I'm a ex-professional musician, and one of my band member- who become a number one jazzman in Ukraine, he has his own radio station- and his family- Unfortunately, he's still there.

He couldn't leave Kyiv, because he got a 30 years-old son, who's basically is- could be drafted any time in the Ukrainian military.

For that reason, they don't want to leave the city to leave them alone, you know, family and... and the kid, together.

So, we'll just- Everyday, she send me text message where she say, "We okay, we home.

It's the best we can do.

We spent the night in the underground, and the car was cold..."” because the sirens were coming through every night.

And, uh, yesterday message was "We're back home.

We are okay."

I mean, it... it's so sad to see.

I mean, every time I see the streets of Kyiv, it reminds me of my childhood.

I mean, I left when I was 22 years old, and I- Basically, I remember every part of the city.

Rob: Oh yeah.

Boris: The city, it's grew so... so nicely in the last 40 plus years.

Rob: It's beautiful.

Boris: It's beautiful, and everybody who I'm talking to, when they left- Some... some of my friends already left the city, because I...

I was forcing 'em to- "You need to get out.

You will come back to it when this all quiets down, but you got to save yourself."

And the only thing they were telling me, "Ah, forget about this ma... ma... material stuff."

The city, they're so afraid, when they come back, there will be nothing left, and one of the most beautiful city in the world.

It's make me really sad to see this entire war, the great support, but they ke- They... they... they watching, like, us, the poor people, get killed.

Elina: These families running for their lives.

There are elderly people, you know, being attacked, who can't leave, um, people grabbing their- these 80-pound dogs and running for the bor- You know, like, it... it kind of is reminiscent of, you know, so many other refugees who have had to flee from places, but it just hits a little more home this time.

Rob: Did you ever think this could happen?

Elina: No.

No.

I mean, we all know that there's an oppressive, awful government and dictator in Russia, but you think to your- you just hope to yourself that something like this wouldn't happen.

Even as they were lining up at the borders, you were hoping, somehow, they would work this out, but I think you can't- I don't know.

I don't think you can work it out with a madman.

You know, the other thing is we have really close, um, family friends there, who- Our nanny, who- When my sister was born, uh, we had a Ukrainian nanny come live with us, and she ended up staying with us and becoming- You know, she's been here, now, 30 years... Boris: 30 years.

Elina: ...and she's become like a grandma, a second grandma to us.

She's at all our family events.

She's at all our holidays.

She's our family, and she has a son and daughter, a granddaughter and grandson-in-law, and a great grandson who are there.

Rob: Who are there.

Elina: Yeah.

We know them.

They've come to visit us.

Yeah.

My son, Gavin, you know, they would Google translate to- so they can talk to h- the great grandson, who's, you know, a couple years younger.

They've been here.

They've been in our house.

We know them.

They're like family.

Rob: Are they okay- do you know- so far?

Elina: They're- So far, they're okay, but they, you know- Boris: They... they... they left the city of Kyiv.

They... they leave and they went to Ivano-Fra... Ivano-Frankivsk, which is a smaller city, 300 miles from Kyiv.

Elina: Near the Polish side.

Boris: Close to the Polish.

Uh, um, he is 57, and his wife is little younger.

So, he's still under the draft situation, between 18 and 60.

So, even if he wants to go to other country out of Ukraine, they won't let him go.

So, he has to stay there.

Uh, his daughter is planning to leave, uh, Ukraine with her son, uh, probably today, somewhere to Hungary, and then from Hungary to Italy.

She got some friends there.

All- By that- I- Like I said, uh, we opened our arms to them and said, "You have a second home here.

In any chance, you're more than welcome to stay with us for the rest of your life, whatever it takes."

But in the meantime, they want to stay closer, because her husband is 35 and he has to stay behind.

That's what breaks my heart.

How can you let your wife and your son, or the- any child, leave, and you staying behind, and in your mind, you don't know if you ever going to see 'em again?

Rob: That's heart- That is heartbreaking.

Elina: And watching- You know, we see- We've seen lots of examples of it, you know, dads hugging their children goodbye as they, you know, get handed a weapon and go fight.

The thing that's interesting, too, is- you were talking about how united, um, the Ukrainian people are- the people who are walking around, protecting their country, they're not soldiers.

Boris: No.

Elina: They're physicists.

They're doctors.

They're lawyers.

They're garbagemen.

They're whatever.

And, uh, a huge amount of women as well, you know, they could flee and leave, but a lot of them haven't.

They've taken up arms and they're standing in front of tanks and protecting their country.

The hu- the human stories, I think that's what gets you the most.

You know, I put myself- You know, had we not come here in the seventies, that would be us.

Had my grandparents not insisted on getting us out of an anti-Semitic situation, and we had the resources and were able to come here, that would be us.

I put myself in that situation, me trying to flee with my children to the border, but saying goodbye to my husband, 'cause he can't leave.

I mean, do you- Rob: And possibly, your son.

Elina: Do you leave?

Or do I stay back, 'cause I'm a medical person and I want to help, but send my kids off?

Do I leave my par- you know, my dad, but go with my mom?

I mean, all these different scenarios.

Especially since we have family friends that are in this situation, and we talk to them, we know what it's like.

The- One of the guys, the... the one who has to stay that's in our close family friends, he's never held a gun in his hand.

That's not what he does.

He's a DJ.

He's a music producer.

Handing a gun to a music producer, it's like handing a gun to you or me and saying, "Here, go!

Go ahead."

Boris: Yeah.

Elina: I mean, it's the... it's the- craziness, but people have been so brave, and I don't know what's right.

I don't know what I would do in that situation.

Do you ru- Like I said, do you run to save your life and your children's lives, but leave the men in your life behind?

I mean, it's an impossible situation, and at this point, you feel really helpless too.

Like, I want to help.

I've donated to, like, so many different types of charities.

You know, I want to support the Ukrainian businesses in town.

You know, we're trying to do little things.

I posted things on my Facebook page, you know, ways to donate.

I mean, part of this is just, you know, getting the word out that, you know, there's so many different groups and I'm happy to share links.

I have this- a "Stand with Ukraine" kind of link that shows- that was actually put together by, um, people at Stanford that are Ukrainians.

Um, they came up with lots of different ways to donate and different links.

So, I'm happy to share that.

You said...

Rob: That would be great.

Elina: ..."How can I help?"

You know, my cute neighbor, she doesn't know how to help, but she made... she made us a pillow that was blue and yellow.

And I don't really- You know, like, the thought behind that was so sweet.

She doesn't know how to help, but she wants to find a way to bring comfort.

She's like, "I just thought this pillow might bring you comfort," and she took blue and yellow- I don't know if you want to grab it, Gav- little scraps.

Just anything.

There's a Ukrainian, um, cafe in town.

I just want to get my coffee from them, to help support, you know, because some of- you know, a lot of people are doing different, like, proceeds.

Here's the little pillow she made.

It's kinda- Rob: Oh, that's beautiful.

Elina: It was just very sweet.

You know?

Pe- And people have reached out to, you know, me.

Again, I haven't lived in Ukraine since I was two, but people have reached out and said, "How can we help?"

and "What can we do?"

'cause, I think, like you said, you don't have to be Ukrainian to feel the pain of this.

Rob: I can only imagine, though, how your life, since this has started, has been turned completely upside-down, because everything feels, here, probably, so- It just feels like how can we be moving normally, or trying to move through a normal life here, knowing what's happening there?

It's as if the world... Boris: I really don't get it...

Yes.

I don't get it.

The gas going to be $10 or $20 a gallon, right now.

I want these people live in peace.

That they needs to- Escalation have to stop, and the world need to come to their sense.

Uh, I've never been in politic.

I'm...

I'm...

I'm an ex-musician.

I'm a car salesman.

Rob: What instrument do you play?

Elina: Jack of all trades, over here.

Rob: What's the intr- What instrument?

Boris: Violin.

Rob: Violin.

Wow.

Boris: Yeah.

I graduate from a Ukrainian, uh, college of master degrees of music.

Unfortunately, could not pro... produ- uh, promote my music here, in U.S., when I was 22 years old.

I had a family to support.

Unfortunately, that time, there was no opportunity to make a living as a musician.

So, I changed my career.

I tried different things in life.

I ended up being in the car business, and 30 years later, I'm retired out of it... retire out of the car business, and I...

I loved...

I loved it, every minute of it.

Elina: I wanted to bring Gavin in on this, um, interview, too, because he actually has been so invested in this as well.

It was interesting.

He was the one who came to me first, weeks ago, and was like, "Mom, I'm kind of concerned about what's going on with Russia and Ukraine.

They're lining up on the borders," and I was like, "Ah," you know, we didn't take it that seriously.

They've been doing it for years.

They've been fighting on that border for years.

He goes, "No, mom, this is different."

And I think it's really interesting.

I mean, obviously, he was born here, um, but has heard so many stories about the Ukraine from my- Luckily, again, my dad and mom live across the street.

He gets- and my grandma.

He gets firsthand information, but I...

I think it's interesting to see what his perspective on it is, given, you know, just from a younger perspective and with, you know, social media allowing the world to see what's happening.

So, I just thought it'd be interesting.

Rob: Absolutely.

Gavin, how old- Are you 16, 17?

Gavin: I'm 16.

Rob: 16.

So, how does this... how does this feel to you?

Gavin: I mean, it all feels really crazy.

I...

I don't know.

I think, because of the media and because of, like, social media, you can see so many different, like, videos and different clips, and you can read different articles, and I think that we're in such a age of information, that we're able to really feel like we're in the streets, we're in the area, and because- And it's kinda... it's kinda, like, amazing that we're able to have this opportunity to see it firsthand, but it's also, like, really heartbreaking to see it, in general.

Yeah.

Rob: You know, Gavin, you- I can already tell that you're... you're a wise young man, um, a wise, wise person.

Um, what would you say about what's going on to other people your age?

Gavin: I mean, I would, like- I think I would probably explain to them the human aspect of it.

Who are the people living there who are fleeing, and, like, the people who are getting bombed?

And I don't think a lot of people in America can really understand that perspective.

I think- I mean, maybe people who are from other countries, who have experienced similar things might relate to it, but I think, when you're talking about this, it's... it's important to talk about the political aspect of it, but it's also more important to talk about the human aspect of it, so- Rob: That's a brilliant point, because that's where we've gotten away from, as a country, is the human aspect of... of everything.

We've become so divided, and yet, this- Right now, I see, you know, this is multiple generations of a family, um, and in every family, there's multiple generations, everybody has opinions, but to be united in love is huge.

Elina: Yeah.

I mean, we may not always see eye to eye on every issue...

Rob: Of course.

Elina: ...you know, and I think that's normal in families, but I think when you see people who are like you, who have- you know, that... that could be us, and you think "Nothing else is important but this, but the people."

Rob: I just have to say something, because it is so rare, um, that people take the time and the opportunity to... to look at someone and... and say what they really feel.

You know, Gavin, you're sitting there with your grandfather, who left Ukraine when he was 22 years old for a dream, for you, and your mom, and a future.

So, I'm curious, Elina and... and Gavin, what would you want to say to Boris right now?

Life is short.

Gavin: I mean, I would say I'm very appreciative to, like, not live in a place where it is war-torn right now, and I'm appreciative to live in a country where there's- that took us in, and there's so many different kinds of people, and we're so, like- You know, on my dad's side, his family is immigrants from Mexico and El Salvador.

And so, I'm kind of, like, the culmination of immigrants on both sides.

And so, that's what's kinda amazing about this country is you see different people from all over the world, who have kinda used this country as a sanctuary, and though it is not perfect in any means, it is- I don't know- it's kind of special in that way.

So- Elina: And I- You know, I'm s- I'm very grateful to my parents who picked up their lives to... as he called "a black hole," had no idea what they were going to see on the other side of it, but were brave enough, and wanted to- and really looked at their kid and wanted to provide me the opportunities that I probably, in those times, would have never been able to do, you know, to go to great schools, and to become a professional, and to do all these things that, as a Jewish girl in that country, probably wouldn't have had the opportunity.

However, I will say one thing.

Watching- This is why this is even more horrifying, watching the Ukraine now, seeing these people who would have never had an opportunity, but who do now, who rebuilt this country, who let the Jewish people become part of the Ukrainian culture, you- I mean, watching a Jewish president in the Ukraine, I mean- and then to see it being tampered and pushed down is awful.

You know, that's part of it, too, I think is- What's really heartbreaking, is to see the country that has completely changed and worked so hard- again, far from perfect.

I think, none- We aren't perfect.

Nobody is, but to see a country that's really grown and changed and embraced, you know, differences in cultures.

But again, I'm so grateful because they brought me here.

I'm able to, you know, have this career and, you know, be able to provide a better life for my children than we would've been able to do there, and to have the next generation of children.

If it wasn't for my brave grandparents and parents, we wouldn't- we would be there, and in the middle of this war-torn situation.

I mean, I talk- I have a couple friends who are Afghani, who fled from their country under bombing situations too, and they, too, were so grateful to this country for taking them in.

My Croatian patient, yesterday, was so grateful to be here, you know?

As Gavin said, it's a sanctuary for people who needed a better life, and we're grateful for that, but also, more than that, I'm just grateful for their bravery, for coming.

And you can see it in the Ukrainian people, you know, the... you know, the lawyers and the physicians and the people who are standing with a gun, who've never held a gun in their hand.

I mean, this is a brave, tough group of people, and a loving group of people, and family is super important.

They will defend their family and their country to the very end.

Zelensky could have got on an airplane.

He... he could be out of there.

He was offered, and he said, "I don't want your ride.

I'm going to stand here.

I need your help and support.

I don't want your ride and a lift out of here."

His wife and children are there.

It's really kind of impressive, and, like, just it's... it's... it's... it's kind- I- You would never imagine- Most politicians would have jumped onto the first plane and ran.

Save your own butt, but- You know?

These are a hardy, tough group.

The- You know, these people who came to this country with no language, my parents, with no money, and they worked jobs that, you know, probably felt below what they had trained in and done.

You know, there was- Rob: Or- Yeah, or their dreams.

They left their dream of- just like your father with music.

Elina: I mean, they did everything.

No job was too below them.

No job was, like- They just needed to make a living and they worked their, you know, tails off, and, like- You know, and I'm so grateful to them, because I think what they've instilled in me is a sense of hard work, and, you know, you have to work for what you want.

You have to strive for what you want, and you have to help other people who are in that same situation.

Watching them sponsor families, as- when I was a kid, watching- You know, people lived in our homes.

People, you know- Rob: Boris, I want to ask you- In... in closing, I want to ask you, Boris, what is your message?

What would you like to say, uh, in this moment to, one, get off of your chest, maybe?

But, two, to say- what would you like to say to people watching if they're from Ukraine, if they're from anywhere, what would you like to say right now?

Boris: Well, first of all, our thoughts, our soul, our hearts with all these people in that country, who is fighting for their freedom.

Uh, second of all, I want to say, from the bottom of my heart to the entire world, a big "Help!"

Ukrainian people, they need help.

Media, news, uh, talks "It's all wonderful."

Analysis, what's going on, who's doing good, who's doing bad- it's all "wonderful," in talk.

But I feel for the young President Zelensky, what he's going through, because he's not a politician.

He has no political background.

He's just a human, like, he's just a entertainer, like me, because I was entertainer who had opportunity to leave the country.

Yes, he made some mistakes.

Of course.

Anybody would make mistakes, but he unite these people so close.

Anybody I talk to, out of my friends in Ukraine, is so grateful.

He's a- He's their national hero.

Rob: I think that you have a remarkable family.

I really do.

I...

I want to thank all of you- Boris: I am the happiest man on the world.

I'll tell you that.

When I walk out, out of Elina house, just look out the front door, and I see my house 'cross the street, what could be better?

Rob: You are so, so lucky, and so blessed.

I'm telling you, that is rare to have all your family- Elina: We're... we're really lucky.

Rob: I can't thank each of you enough for spending so much time with us and sharing your story and... and a call to action as well.

Elina: And thanks for having us.

Boris: Thank you.

We really appreciate it.

Rob: It's so good to see all of you.

Thank you so much for joining us here.

Elina: Thanks, Rob.

Boris: God bless.

Rob: I'll see you very soon.

I'd love to follow up with you very soon.

Boris: We're looking forward.

Elina: Yup.

♪♪ Annc: Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld, LLP, focusing on business law and commercial litigation, is proud to support Rob on the Road - Region Rising.

More information available at murphyaustin.com.