Many in China at the time were looking to set up home abroad after the country opened its doors to the outside world, and Sara's husband was no exception. He emigrated to New Zealand and married a local woman.
Sara Imas married twice more, but neither husband lasted more than two years. It was after the break up of her third marriage that she applied to immigrate to Israel.
Late bloomer
In 1991, at the age of 41, she was received by former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin as the first Jewish immigrant from China to Israel after the two countries established diplomatic relations.
Because she had fluent Mandarin, Imas soon found jobs in Chinese restaurants and shops.
With a small sum she managed to save, she opened a spring roll shop in her second year in Israel, selling the same Shanghai food she had eaten most of her life but had never made.
"I bought flour, vegetables and a wok and tried to memorize how spring rolls were made in Shanghai," she said.
"It was really difficult at first, but I quickly invented something looking somewhat like a spring roll they sold like hot cakes, as few Israelis had seen a real spring roll at the time."
With the money earned from her new business, Imas brought her three children to Israel and sent them to local schools.
"But I didn't want to be a Chinese immigrant selling spring rolls all my life. I wanted to be a member of mainstream society wherever I was," she said.
She learnt English and Hebrew, the former from the ABC, and both from the supermarket, where she spent hours. She would point at something on the shelf and ask a customer, "What's that?"
Housewives at supermarkets were often more than willing to teach her languages, and so were senior citizens sitting in cafes and parks.
"I learned more than languages in this way. I got to know a small club of about 50 elderly Jews, mostly in their 70s and 80s, who sheltered in Shanghai during World War II. They were very helpful," she said.
"Being with them, I came to understand more of my father. They were as unwilling to speak of their days before Shanghai as my father, and they felt sick every time they did."
Imas' efforts paid off when an Israeli court advertised for a Chinese-Hebrew translator. She was chosen from a field of 100 Chinese immigrants.
"The other candidates were all young women who learned Hebrew from their Israeli husbands. How can a husband be as patient as an old man in teaching a language?" she said laughing.
In 2002, Imas grabbed hold of another opportunity and became the chief representative of Israel-based Lustig Brothers Diamond Co Ltd to the Greater China area. She was back in Shanghai with an office in the landmark Jinmao Tower.
The following year she bought an apartment in the city and married Chen Kai, a mild-mannered official with the Municipal Education Commission.
She now spends three afternoons a week volunteering at Pudong Gongli Hospital, chatting with elderly patients.
"I don't belong to the group of good-hearted middle-aged women volunteers. By comforting patients I mean to get comfort from them," she said.
"But I believe myself to be marvellous I dare to start new lives regardless of age and can thrive wherever I am thrown.