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In 1992 my sister Shyfra, her daughter Lusia, Lusia’s husband Misha Shtein, my second wife’s stepson, and Shyfra’s granddaughter moved to Israel. Misha was 64 years old and lived on welfare until he began to receive his pension in Israel. Lusia worked as chief accountant in Odessa, but in Israel she had to accept a job as a cleaning woman. Shyfra lived with her daughter and received a pension. She died in 1998. Her granddaughter Valia got married. She works in an emigration agency and her husband Zhenia is a broker. Shyfra’s son Vitia and his family lived in Odessa. He died recently.
My younger sister Milia followed my older sister. In the early 1990s her son Boria died in Odessa. He worked as a locomotive operator. Boria’s wife Ida was a teacher. They had a daughter named Zoya. After her son died, Milia decided to move to Israel. She moved with her daughter Raya, her son Lyonia and their families in 1992. Her son worked as a galvanic operator in Odessa and got the same job in Israel. Her daughter cleans house entrances and looks after old people in Israel. Milia and her son Lyonia are pensioners.
I retired in 1993. In 1997 my younger brother Grisha who was severely ill, his son Lyonia, Lyonia’s wife and their two sons moved to Los Angeles, USA. A month after they arrived there, Grisha died in hospital in Los Angeles. I have no relatives left in Odessa. My stepson Alfred keeps in touch with me.
I went to the wedding of my younger grandson Zhenia in Israel in 1994. I was there for one month. I liked it in Israel. Alfred lives in a three-room apartment on the first floor in a house in Nes Ziyyona. I went to a synagogue in Nes Ziyyona. I liked it there. The only thing I didn’t like was that synagogues are opened only on Saturday in Israel. Another thing I didn’t like there is that there are no clubs for older people to meet and socialize. Old people sometimes can talk in a garden. In Odessa old people meet and exchange news every day. I am religious. Even when I lived in Mayaki I went to the synagogue.
My younger sister Milia followed my older sister. In the early 1990s her son Boria died in Odessa. He worked as a locomotive operator. Boria’s wife Ida was a teacher. They had a daughter named Zoya. After her son died, Milia decided to move to Israel. She moved with her daughter Raya, her son Lyonia and their families in 1992. Her son worked as a galvanic operator in Odessa and got the same job in Israel. Her daughter cleans house entrances and looks after old people in Israel. Milia and her son Lyonia are pensioners.
I retired in 1993. In 1997 my younger brother Grisha who was severely ill, his son Lyonia, Lyonia’s wife and their two sons moved to Los Angeles, USA. A month after they arrived there, Grisha died in hospital in Los Angeles. I have no relatives left in Odessa. My stepson Alfred keeps in touch with me.
I went to the wedding of my younger grandson Zhenia in Israel in 1994. I was there for one month. I liked it in Israel. Alfred lives in a three-room apartment on the first floor in a house in Nes Ziyyona. I went to a synagogue in Nes Ziyyona. I liked it there. The only thing I didn’t like was that synagogues are opened only on Saturday in Israel. Another thing I didn’t like there is that there are no clubs for older people to meet and socialize. Old people sometimes can talk in a garden. In Odessa old people meet and exchange news every day. I am religious. Even when I lived in Mayaki I went to the synagogue.
Location
Ukraine
Interview
Isaac Klinger