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My grandmother Zelda Khasidovich, my mother Genia, her sister Rosa and her brother David in Fastov in 1914.
My mother was born in Fastov, a Jewish town not far from Kiev, in 1909. My mother and I often visited Fastov before the war and I remember it well. It had a patriarchal coloring even in the Soviet times. Before the revolution of 1917 there were several synagogues and a church in this town buried in verdure gardens. Jews were handicraftsmen and tradesmen and were on good terms with the Ukrainians that were selling food.
My grandparents were religious people and went to the synagogue every week. They followed kashruth and celebrated all Jewish holidays. My grandmother lit candles on Friday to meet the Sabbath. They were poor, but they had silver dishes for Pesach. It was kept on the attic for many years before WWII.
My grandmother lived in a small house in Fastov. My grandfather and grandmother Zelda, born around 1885 had 3 children. There were 3 small rooms, a kitchen and a stove. My grandmother was a housewife all her life. After my grandfather died she lived in her son's family. During the war she was in evacuation in Ulianovsk region. After the war she came back to Fastov and always worked at her home baking bread for sale. She bought flour at the market and made delicious bread at home. After food cards were cancelled in 1947 people came to my grandmother to buy bread from her. One year before she died my mother took my grandmother to Kiev. She was old and couldn't live on her own. We hoped to support her a bit more and give her an opportunity to take care of her health. My grandmother died in hospital in 1954.
My mother was born in Fastov, a Jewish town not far from Kiev, in 1909. My mother Genia Khasidovich was an older daughter. My mother finished Jewish primary school. In 1928 my mother went to Belaya Tserkov and took a course of training at the stocking factory. After finishing the course she got a job at the factory. My mother was a very beautiful girl.
Rosa, the next one, born in 1911 finished Jewish seven year school in Fastov and a course in accounting. She worked as an accountant in various companies. She was single and lived with us since 1936. During the war she was in the evacuation with my grandmother in Molokka village, Ulianovsk region. After the war she returned to Kiev and lived with us. She spent much of her time with me. I loved her a lot and she was like a 2nd mother to me. She wasn't religious at all. Rosa died in Kiev in the middle of 1980s.
My mother's younger brother David born in 1913 was a painter. He lived in Fastov. His Jewish wife Fania still lives in Fastov. David went to the front in one of the first days of the war. We received one letter from him written in pencil that he was near Brovary in the vicinity of Kiev. Later Fania received a notification that he had been missing. He must have perished during the defense of Kiev. David had 3 daughters: Zhenia, Ania and Polia. Zhenia left for Israel in 2001, Ania lives in Kiev and Polia, born in Ulianovsk region in 1942 lives in Fastov with her mother.
