Tag #150484 - Interview #78242 (Ruvin Gitman)

Regardless of their official posts my father and his brothers remained very religious. However, they didn't go to synagogue openly. They went secretly and only on important holidays. They went early in the morning while people were asleep, and afterwards went to work. But they celebrated the Sabbath and all the religious holidays at home. My parents often went to celebrate holidays with my mother's parents. Many farmers refused to join the collective farms. They were declared to be kulaks [5] and were sent with their families into exile in Siberia. They were not allowed to take any luggage with them into exile. I can still see this picture and hear the screams and crying of women forced to leave their homes. About one third of the Ukrainian population of Koryshkov was deported.