Sergey Brin's family got out of Soviet Union just in time

Jackson West — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:20:00 EDT

At Shimon Peres's Facing Tomorrow conference in Israel, Google cofounder Sergey Brin told the audience about his family's fight against anti-Semitism in the former Soviet Union before emigrating. His father, Mikhail Brin, wasn't allowed to pursue his interest in physics because Jews were barred from the field over concerns that they would learn nuclear secrets — never mind the role Julius and Ethel Rosenberg might have played in giving the Soviets those very secrets. Eventually, Brin's mother Evgenya got a via to emigrate in 1979, right before the Iron Curtain officially dropped again. Of course, now that the country is open for business, Brin wants back in. (Photo by Jon Klinger)

Zuckerberg, Decker and Brin walk into a Jerusalem bar...

Jackson West — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT

Israeli president Shimon Peres has invited a number of luminaries to celebrate the country's 60th year of independence, including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Yahoo president Sue Decker and Google cofounder Sergey Brin. They'll be discussing technology as part of the Facing Tomorrow conference in May. Zuckerberg's Facebook has been drawn into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict already, and is also banned in nearby Syria, so at least he has some relevant geopolitical experience.

Who will also attend? Noted peace-lovers Tony Blair, the former British Prime Minister last seen leading his country into Iraq under false pretenses, and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, last seen making lewd comments to younger women — but before that, secretly bombing Cambodia. Forward-thinkers, all.

Gawker: valleywag, shimon peres

Sergey Brin's family got out of Soviet Union just in time

Zuckerberg, Decker and Brin walk into a Jerusalem bar...