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My mother’s father, Leib Volotsenko, was born in Mayaki, Belyayevskiy district, Odessa region, in 1852, and my maternal grandmother, Shyfra Volotsenko, was also born there in 1855. I don’t know her maiden name. In 1874 my grandmother and grandfather got married. Grandmother Shyfra was a housewife. She was religious: she prayed and went to the synagogue. My grandparents had four children, born in Mayaki.
Mayaki was located on the bank of the Dnestr River. Before 1940 the Dnestr was a border with Romania. It was a big village of about a thousand farms. It had a Jewish, Russian and Ukrainian population. Jews were craftsmen for the most part: cabinetmakers, carpenters, shoemakers and tailors. There were wealthier Jews dealing in timber that floated down the Dnestr River from Western Ukraine.
My mother told me that Grandfather Leib was a good tailor. He did mending, altering and made new clothes for his clients from neighboring villages. When his sons grew old enough he taught them his profession and they began to help him.
Grandfather Leib rented an apartment. He finished cheder and observed all Jewish traditions: he went to the synagogue, prayed with his tallit on, fasted at Yom Kippur and wore a kippah.
There were two synagogues in Mayaki: one for poor and another one for wealthy Jews. The synagogue for wealthy Jews was on the bank of the Dnestr River. I don’t know which synagogue my grandfather attended, but my parents went to the synagogue for wealthy Jews located near our house.
Grandfather was raising his children religiously. His two sons went to cheder. Grandfather taught his daughters to pray and they attended the synagogue. All children fasted at Yom Kippur. My grandmother taught my mother and her sister to observe the kashrut, cook Jewish food and observe holidays.
My grandmother died in Mayaki in 1903. I don’t know the cause of her death. She was buried in the Jewish cemetery and the Jewish tradition was observed. Grandfather Leib died in 1904. He must have died of some disease since old age simply couldn’t have been the reason of his death: he was not that old. He was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Mayaki. There was a Jewish funeral. His sons recited the Kaddish and sat shivah.
Mayaki was located on the bank of the Dnestr River. Before 1940 the Dnestr was a border with Romania. It was a big village of about a thousand farms. It had a Jewish, Russian and Ukrainian population. Jews were craftsmen for the most part: cabinetmakers, carpenters, shoemakers and tailors. There were wealthier Jews dealing in timber that floated down the Dnestr River from Western Ukraine.
My mother told me that Grandfather Leib was a good tailor. He did mending, altering and made new clothes for his clients from neighboring villages. When his sons grew old enough he taught them his profession and they began to help him.
Grandfather Leib rented an apartment. He finished cheder and observed all Jewish traditions: he went to the synagogue, prayed with his tallit on, fasted at Yom Kippur and wore a kippah.
There were two synagogues in Mayaki: one for poor and another one for wealthy Jews. The synagogue for wealthy Jews was on the bank of the Dnestr River. I don’t know which synagogue my grandfather attended, but my parents went to the synagogue for wealthy Jews located near our house.
Grandfather was raising his children religiously. His two sons went to cheder. Grandfather taught his daughters to pray and they attended the synagogue. All children fasted at Yom Kippur. My grandmother taught my mother and her sister to observe the kashrut, cook Jewish food and observe holidays.
My grandmother died in Mayaki in 1903. I don’t know the cause of her death. She was buried in the Jewish cemetery and the Jewish tradition was observed. Grandfather Leib died in 1904. He must have died of some disease since old age simply couldn’t have been the reason of his death: he was not that old. He was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Mayaki. There was a Jewish funeral. His sons recited the Kaddish and sat shivah.
Location
Ukraine
Interview
Isaac Klinger