Diana Shklyarov was born in Leningrad. Her father was a retired army officer and her mother an accountant. Neither parent had much interest in Judaism other than an affection for various Jewish dishes. Diana did not experience antisemitism until she tried to enroll at a prestigious university. Although she met all of the school’s admission requirements, she was turned away because she was a Jew. That incident was a turning point for her and her parents. Not long after she married, she, her husband, and their child decided to emigrate. It would take eight years before permission was finally granted. In 1988, the family left Leningrad for Boston via Vienna, Austria. Her mother and sister came a few years later. Today, Shklyarov is a member of Temple Israel and works there as a volunteer.