“I would never have chosen French, if not for my teacher, Assia Alexandrovna Solomonova. She combined excellent command of the language with the simplicity of explaining its essence. She revealed to me the hidden features in French that I would have otherwise never discovered. Today French has become the work of my life, in no little part thanks to her”

— Galina Bubnova, PhD, Professor

“I don’t think I should write about why Assya arrived in Montreal the way she did. I remember Assya’s first steps on Canadian soil. I remember speaking about her with Volodya even before she arrived. Suffice it to say that two daredevils, Lily Grinsaft and I, drove to pick her up at the Canadian border. I don’t know who was the more anxious... I thought then that she would be happier here, really have a golden age in Montreal. Who knew that the end would be as bad as it might have been in a Moscow hospital? But it really was a golden age for a long, long time. Although her fears and nerves were always with her and as well hidden as she could make them. Asya’s spirit, enthusiasm, creativity and charm won over everyone. I remember being amazed that she started studying Yoga with another new refugee and doing a daily Yoga practice. I remember her organizing literary and commemorative events in the Russian community. I remember her preparing French subtitles for Yiddish theatre plays with me. I remember that she was giving French group classes to Russian newcomers, whether teens or 3eme age. She had so many friends and kept them all close to her. I remember her blinis. I remember her translating a few of my poems into Russian and her encouragement… but most of all I remember her willingness to help everyone who came into the Action Committee for Soviet Jewry or came into her orbit. She recreated a full life here and for a long time it was fun, great fun - beyond what one would have expected at her age until the ravages of age – which affects us all – landed on her too. May her memory be a blessing for her family and everyone who loved her.”

— Edit Kuper