Stories of Hope: My Silver Spoon
A Soviet Jewish childhood shaped by family discipline and hard-earned values became the backbone of an émigré’s resilience and later professional success
By Tanya Tylevich/The Media Line
Editor’s Note: At a time when headlines are dominated by war, loss, and division, The Media Line has launched a new series, Stories of Hope, to make room for something often missing from the news cycle: stories that illuminate resilience, meaning, and the human capacity to endure and build, even in difficult circumstances. These pieces do not deny hardship or pain. Rather, they explore moments of purpose, courage, creativity, and connection—sometimes quiet, sometimes bold—that remind us what is still possible.
“My Silver Spoon” is the first installment in a three-part autobiographical series by Tanya Tylevich.
On August 16, 1999, I put on a blue suit, feeling the anticipation as I embarked on my first day with the esteemed firm known as Goldman Sachs. To be honest, most of my friends and family were unaware of the name; in fact, some teasingly asked if I’d be getting discounts at the Saks Fifth Avenue store. Others couldn’t quite understand how someone like me—who hadn’t attended a top-tier college or earned an engineering degree from a US university—had managed to survive a six-hour interview marathon with more than 10 people (no coffee breaks!) and land a job offer the very next day.
Tylevich1.jpeg – Tanya Tylevich with her father, Leningrad, USSR, 1972. (Courtesy Tanya Tylevich)
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