The USSR, 1980, the d tente era has ended with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. As always during times of confrontation, the KGB is granted extra powers. Could there be a less auspicious time to start a new underground project? But a handful of Jewish activists do exactly that, trying to revive Jewish national life by teaching Hebrew and Judaism across the giant expanse of the Soviet Union.
As time goes by, the KGB begins discovering traces of the secret project. The pressure and intimidation mount. Finally, the project leader is arrested. The KGB threatens to stage a show trial to intimidate everyone else in the project. If they have their way, the leader faces long years of imprisonment and exile.
As a last resort, the project leader declares an open-ended hunger strike. He's thrown into a punishment cell. Supporters throughout the world rally to pressure the Soviet government to release him. A race against time begins...