Tag #109829 - Interview #94254 (Asia Matveyuk)

I remember my paternal great grandfather, my grandmother Zisel’s father. His surname was Grinker, but I’ve forgotten his first name, unfortunately. My great grandfather was born in 1829 some place in Vinnitsa region [250 km from Kiev] and his family moved to the colony when he was just a boy. He was not tall, stout and had strong heavy fists. I knew him when he was a 100-year old man. He used to visit us on his way to or from the synagogue. He had a glass of wine groaning with pleasure; my father’s wine was the best in the village and my great grandfather was quite an expert being a farmer and winemaker like the majority of residents of Novopoltavka. My great grandfather always wore a cap, even sitting at table, and had his religious accessories in his bag: tallit, tefillin and books of prayers. My great grandfather was never ill and lived to the age of 105. He would have lived longer if it hadn’t been for the famine [3] in Ukraine in the early 1930s that destroyed his really athletic health.  He died in 1934.