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My brother Roman worked as an electrician after finishing a technical school. He married a Jewish girl, but it didn’t work out. They had two children: son Yevgeniy and daughter Yelena, when Roman divorced his wife. However, they kept good relationships. In the late 1970s they moved to Israel and Roman followed them there some time later. Roman didn’t remarry and began to live near his children. When Yelena remarried and moved to Moscow with her family, Roman followed them there. Now he lives in Kiev, having a citizenship in Israel and an apartment in Kiev.
We’ve never discussed the issue of emigration in our family. We’ve always taken interest in Israel, but I was a member of the party and feared that if I decided to move there, I would have to go through all these humiliations that the people who submitted their documents for departure faced in the 1970s. They were shamed at meetings and I also spoke at the meting calling them to think it over before they left their Motherland. After my husband died, I wouldn’t venture to move alone. I retired in 1990. Now I have an opportunity to watch my grandchildren growing up and take part in their education.
My son Victor finished the Radio Electronics Technical School. He is a cable TV specialist now. Victor’s wife Yelena is Ukrainian. She is an accountant. My granddaughters Anna, born in 1996, and Olga, born in 2000, are sweet little girls. I live with my son and his family and will share my life with them. If he decides to emigrate – and he is thinking of moving to Germany, I will go with him.
We were enthusiastic about perestroika [17] and the changes it brought along. Finally they removed bans on art and literature, people got an opportunity to travel and communicate with people in other countries. Of course, the material part of life became more difficult, but I believe that these are temporary difficulties.
We’ve never observed Jewish traditions or celebrated holidays in our family. After Ukraine gained independence there were conditions for development of the Jewish self-conscience created and I began to celebrate Jewish holidays. I am a client of Hesed. I like its cultural programs. I watch Jewish programs, read Jewish press and enjoy it. However, I am probably a real cosmopolite: I dream of traveling to other countries despite my old age, meet new people and cognate other cultures. I hope I will have a chance.
We’ve never discussed the issue of emigration in our family. We’ve always taken interest in Israel, but I was a member of the party and feared that if I decided to move there, I would have to go through all these humiliations that the people who submitted their documents for departure faced in the 1970s. They were shamed at meetings and I also spoke at the meting calling them to think it over before they left their Motherland. After my husband died, I wouldn’t venture to move alone. I retired in 1990. Now I have an opportunity to watch my grandchildren growing up and take part in their education.
My son Victor finished the Radio Electronics Technical School. He is a cable TV specialist now. Victor’s wife Yelena is Ukrainian. She is an accountant. My granddaughters Anna, born in 1996, and Olga, born in 2000, are sweet little girls. I live with my son and his family and will share my life with them. If he decides to emigrate – and he is thinking of moving to Germany, I will go with him.
We were enthusiastic about perestroika [17] and the changes it brought along. Finally they removed bans on art and literature, people got an opportunity to travel and communicate with people in other countries. Of course, the material part of life became more difficult, but I believe that these are temporary difficulties.
We’ve never observed Jewish traditions or celebrated holidays in our family. After Ukraine gained independence there were conditions for development of the Jewish self-conscience created and I began to celebrate Jewish holidays. I am a client of Hesed. I like its cultural programs. I watch Jewish programs, read Jewish press and enjoy it. However, I am probably a real cosmopolite: I dream of traveling to other countries despite my old age, meet new people and cognate other cultures. I hope I will have a chance.
Location
Ukraine
Interview
Isabella Karanchuk