After finishing his military school Ilia came back home. My father wanted to send him to study in another military school to keep him away from the front. Ilia wanted to become a pilot and went to study in an aviation school.
- Traditions 11756
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Major events (political and historical)
4256
- Armenian genocide 2
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- Romanian Annexation of Bessarabia (1918) 25
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Holocaust
9685
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Communism
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Displaying 50551 - 50580 of 50826 results
Rita Vilkobrisskaya Biography
My father was transferred to the new location of his military service assignment to a small town of Nikolaevsk-on-the-Amur, located on the upper Amur, in 700 km from Khabarovsk, near the border with China. There were no comforts in the house where we lived. Water was delivered in barrels from the Amur River. There was no electricity and in the evening we lit a kerosene lamp.
Soon we moved to Blagoveschensk-on-the Amur, in 50 km from Nikolaevsk and from there we moved again to Voroshylov town [Ussuriysk at present], in 100 km to the northeast. Like many other families of the military we moved from one place to another so often that we left our suitcases unpacked at a new location. I didn’t have time to get used to a new school or schoolmates when we had to move again. All military traveled a lot. They didn’t discuss and obeyed orders from their commandment. We packed within three days and loaded our belongings on a truck to go to the new area. I don’t remember any specific school or teachers. I wasn’t a success with my studies. Teachers treated me indulgently knowing that I wasn’t going to stay long in their school.
Jacob worked and continued his studies. During the war he finished Kuibyshev Pedagogical Institute and later he graduated from Kiev University Faculty of History.
, Ukraine
In 1945 Jacob moved to Lvov where he began to work at the Jewish library of the Academy of Sciences. He was responsible for book stocks collecting books from the houses of Jews that had perished and closed synagogues, He speaks fluent Ivrit, it’s his mother tongue. In 1949, at the height of state anti-Semitism Jacob left his work at the library. He taught History at school and Pedagogical Institute and later he became Professor of History in Lvov Polytechnic Institute where he still works now. In October 1960 my husband defended his thesis of Candidate of Sciences. He was also awarded a title of Candidate of Economic Sciences. He was transferred to Lvov where he became deputy director at an evening school. He was allowed to lie in Lvov. Before this he actually lived with me, but had a residential permit to live in a village near Lvov [20].
In Lvov my husband helped me to get a job at the printing house of the Academy of Sciences where I worked for 12 years. Later I went to work at the planning department of design institute involved in designing machine building plants. I worked at the Planning department where I worked for over 18 years until I retired and where I never faced any anti-Semitism.
We were an affectionate family. We traveled to the Crimea or Caucasus in summer as tourists. We enjoyed traveling.
,
After WW2
See text in interview
We didn’t celebrate at home Soviet or religious holidays, but had birthday parties. We got together with friends at birthdays and weekends to listen to music, discuss books that we read and recite poems by Soviet poets Evtushenko [21], Voznesenskiy [22] and Rybakov [23].
When Jews began to move to Israel in 1970s we sympathized with them, but we didn’t even consider moving to Israel for ourselves, We didn’t have any information about Israel, there were no publications in Soviet mass media. Our house, work and friends were here and we never imagined life in another country. We earned well, went to theaters and cinema, went to restaurants with friends and were not interested in politics.
My husband had to join the Party to be able to lecture at College, but in 1980s he resigned from the Party after writing an application for resignation where he explained that he ‘disagreed with the policy of the Party and didn’t want to be its member’.
My mother and grandmother lived with us. We didn’t observe any Jewish traditions.
My sister Inessa also graduated from the Institute of Polygraphy. Upon graduation she worked at a printing house in Leningrad.
Perestroika in 1980s was like new wind for us. There were many books published that had been forbidden before and the Jewish life and culture revived.
Jacob has always been interested in Jewish subjects. In the recent years he got involved in the studies of Jewish history being Professor and historian. He wrote several books about the history of Jewish people and Holocaust, they were published in Lvov. His books issued by the Lvov Jewish society named after Sholem Alechem: ‘Catastrophe of Jews in Western Ukraine’, 300 pages, published in 1998, 5000 copies; ‘Jews of Brody Town 1584-1944’, 2001, 2000 copies; ‘Yanovskiy camp’, 1996, 3000 copies; ‘People, years, events. From our ancient history’, 1998, 3000 copies; ‘600 years and two years’, about the history of Jews in Drogobych and Boryslav, 1999, 2000 copies, and others. He founded the Sholem Alechem [24] society in Lvov. This society studies and popularizes books by Jewish writers. He gives lectures on the history of Jews in Hesed and I help him to collect materials for his lectures. Jacob has involved me in Jewish activities. I read Jewish newspapers, published in the Lvov community in Russian and attend sittings at the society. We visit Hesed and have many new friends there. We study traditions of our people at Hesed. We celebrate Jewish holidays and Sabbath at the Sholem Alechem society. We don’t follow any rituals or say prayers, but I cook traditional food and we always have matzah at Pesach.
My husband is a big patriot of Israel. If it were not for my poor health condition (I’ve had few infarctions and have contra-indications related to hot climate) we would move to Israel. Regretfully, we’ve never been there, but we’ve read a lot and watched movies about this amazing country. Since we don’t have an opportunity to move to Israel we‘ve committed ourselves to revival of the Jewish nation and Jewish traditions in our country that is our Motherland. However, even now I wouldn’t leave my country for Israel.
Faina Volper Biography
My father’s family lived in Starokonstantinov, Khmelnitsk region. My grandfather on my father’s side Haim-Usher Volper was born in Starokonstantinov in 1840s. My grandfather died from twisted bowels in 1907. I don’t know what he did for a living. All I know is that his family was very poor living from hand to mouth. I remember my grandmother Brukhe, my father’s mother. I don’t know her nee name. She was born in Starokonstantinov in 1846. I have no information about my grandmother’s family. I remember my grandmother slim and straight. She had very smooth face without any wrinkles. She wore a kerchief low on her forehead. She wore a dark skirt and a light polka-dot blouse buttoned up her neck. She also wore a dark apron. My grandmother was a strong-willed and severe woman. She had a hard life.
The majority of population in Starokonstantinov was Jewish. They were mainly handicraftsmen. There were also lawyers and doctors. It was a problem for Jews to get a higher education in the tsarist Russia (1). Jews got along well with the Russian and Ukrainian population of the town. There was no anti-Semitism before the war. There was a synagogue, cheder and Jewish primary school in this town.
My grandmother and grandfather had four sons. The oldest Yukl was born around 1885. The next son Duvid was born around 1888. Then Shmil-Lobe was born in 1891 and my father Lipe, the youngest, was born in 1895.
The majority of population in Starokonstantinov was Jewish. They were mainly handicraftsmen. There were also lawyers and doctors. It was a problem for Jews to get a higher education in the tsarist Russia (1). Jews got along well with the Russian and Ukrainian population of the town. There was no anti-Semitism before the war. There was a synagogue, cheder and Jewish primary school in this town.
My grandmother and grandfather had four sons. The oldest Yukl was born around 1885. The next son Duvid was born around 1888. Then Shmil-Lobe was born in 1891 and my father Lipe, the youngest, was born in 1895.
, Ukraine
My grandfather perished in 1920. Three Polish horse riders came to his house once. My grandmother gave them some food and talked with them in Polish. The Polish men were pleased with the reception. They thanked my grandparents and left. My grandfather went outside. He needed to climb to the attic. One of these Polish men turned back and shot my grandfather in his head, probably for no reason. My grandfather was in his early 50s when he perished. Many Jews came to his funeral. He was buried according to Jewish tradition at the Jewish cemetery.
I remember my grandmother Tsyrl on my mother’s side. My grandmother was born in Matsevichi in 1860s. She was a short and fat woman. She was wearing a wig. I asked my mother why my grandmother was wearing a wig and my mother told that such was a rule for a rabbi’s wife. It was a nicely combed wig with a lock on the forehead My grandmother always wore long dark dresses with long sleeves and many small buttons. She was a very nice and kind woman. She always had a smile on her face.
My father came to Matsevichi on business looking for sheepskin. He saw my mother incidentally and fell in love with her. At that time my mother was meeting with a nice Jewish young man. He was a shy man, while my father was a troubleshooter. Girls like men like my father and my mother preferred him. My father began to make passes to my mother coming to the village more often than his business required. He met with her parents and they liked him, too. My parents got married in 1919 and my mother moved to Starokonstantinov. They had a traditional wedding with a huppah. My grandfather – the rabbi – conducted the wedding ceremony with a huppah at the synagogue. They had a small wedding party and my parents moved to their lodging that they were renting until my father received an apartment where my family lived before the war and where I was born. It was half a house and another half was occupied by anther family. We had two rooms and a kitchen. There was a small yard with a flower garden and few fruit trees.
I remember my grandmother Tsyrl on my mother’s side. My grandmother was born in Matsevichi in 1860s. She was a short and fat woman. She was wearing a wig. I asked my mother why my grandmother was wearing a wig and my mother told that such was a rule for a rabbi’s wife. It was a nicely combed wig with a lock on the forehead My grandmother always wore long dark dresses with long sleeves and many small buttons. She was a very nice and kind woman. She always had a smile on her face.
My father came to Matsevichi on business looking for sheepskin. He saw my mother incidentally and fell in love with her. At that time my mother was meeting with a nice Jewish young man. He was a shy man, while my father was a troubleshooter. Girls like men like my father and my mother preferred him. My father began to make passes to my mother coming to the village more often than his business required. He met with her parents and they liked him, too. My parents got married in 1919 and my mother moved to Starokonstantinov. They had a traditional wedding with a huppah. My grandfather – the rabbi – conducted the wedding ceremony with a huppah at the synagogue. They had a small wedding party and my parents moved to their lodging that they were renting until my father received an apartment where my family lived before the war and where I was born. It was half a house and another half was occupied by anther family. We had two rooms and a kitchen. There was a small yard with a flower garden and few fruit trees.
, Ukraine
Starokonstantinov was a patriarchal town. Men went to work and women stayed at home. There were no jobs for women in the town. Our neighbor Lvovskiy left his wife and she couldn’t find a job even though she was an accountant by education. She and her children didn’t have any income and lived on what wealthier families were giving them. Wealthier families felt it their duty to support poor people. Jews always understood that they needed to support each other. Brotherhood of blood is like brotherhood of faith. Everybody had to share what one had with others. My mother was helping our neighbor Libe Shluger bringing her hala bread and fish every Saturday. There was another woman – Rivke. She was very sickly and other Jews supported her.
My mother was a housewife. On 29 December 1920 my older sister Esther-Molke - she was called Fira all her life, was born. I was born on 10 January 1927. I was named Faina. There was another boy between me and Faina, but he died shortly after he was born.
Before I was born there was a big fire in my grandmother Tsyrl’s house. My grandmother had severe burns especially troublesome on one leg. The wounds didn’t heal and my parents took my grandmother to their house to look after her. When I was two years old gangrene developed on my grandmother’s leg. My father took her to hospital in Shepetovka – there were more skilled doctors there than in Starokonstantinov. The doctors told my father that my grandmother needed to have her leg amputated, but my grandmother refused from surgery. She died at our home in 1929.
My mother was a housewife. On 29 December 1920 my older sister Esther-Molke - she was called Fira all her life, was born. I was born on 10 January 1927. I was named Faina. There was another boy between me and Faina, but he died shortly after he was born.
Before I was born there was a big fire in my grandmother Tsyrl’s house. My grandmother had severe burns especially troublesome on one leg. The wounds didn’t heal and my parents took my grandmother to their house to look after her. When I was two years old gangrene developed on my grandmother’s leg. My father took her to hospital in Shepetovka – there were more skilled doctors there than in Starokonstantinov. The doctors told my father that my grandmother needed to have her leg amputated, but my grandmother refused from surgery. She died at our home in 1929.
, Ukraine
After my grandmother Tsyrl died my father took his mother Brukhe to our home. My grandmother didn’t do any housework. She sat on a bench in the yard talking with neighbors. Her sons – my father’s brothers - often visited her. My grandmother Brukhe had strict looks, but she was very kind to us. She gave me my favorite toy of my childhood – a wooden box with a chain inside. My mother made me a doll and I used to put it to bed in the box. My mother and father spoke Yiddish to one another and Russian – to my sister and me. However, we understood Yiddish and spoke Yiddish to our mother sometimes. My grandmother Brukhe only spoke Yiddish. At 80 my grandmother fell ill with pneumonia, but she recovered all right. One afternoon in 1933 she said to my mother that she would take a nap. My father was at work. My grandmother went to take a nap on the sofa, turned with her face to the wall and died quietly. She was 87 and I was 6 years old.
My mother was a very hardworking and handy housewife. She kept her house clean and fixed our clothing. We didn’t keep any livestock before the war, because we could afford to buy meat. My father provided well for our family and we could buy everything we needed. My mother made our dresses herself from cheap fabrics: marquisette and cotton. She also made my father’s shirts and underpants. We had a general cleanup on Friday. My mother gave me a goose feather to dust the rooms. I also washed floors and dishes. My older sister didn’t do any housework. My mother never forced us to do anything in the house. I joined her voluntarily, but my sister was very fond of reading and never offered any help, but my mother didn’t tell her anything about it.
My mother was a very hardworking and handy housewife. She kept her house clean and fixed our clothing. We didn’t keep any livestock before the war, because we could afford to buy meat. My father provided well for our family and we could buy everything we needed. My mother made our dresses herself from cheap fabrics: marquisette and cotton. She also made my father’s shirts and underpants. We had a general cleanup on Friday. My mother gave me a goose feather to dust the rooms. I also washed floors and dishes. My older sister didn’t do any housework. My mother never forced us to do anything in the house. I joined her voluntarily, but my sister was very fond of reading and never offered any help, but my mother didn’t tell her anything about it.
, Ukraine
There was a stove in the kitchen. My mother cooked on it on Friday when she had to make food for two days. On other days my mother did her cooking on a three-legged stove. My mother cooked traditional Jewish food: chicken broth, Jewish borsch, buckwheat and stewed meat. There was chicken and goose meat on the table. My mother also baked pastries.
My mother was very religious, but my father was an atheist. He wasn’t a communist, but he demonstrated his negative attitude towards religion. My mother started Shabbat on Friday evening lighting candles. She didn’t do any work on Saturday. She didn’t even strike a match on Saturday. Our neighbor came to us to start a fire in the stove. My father, vice a versa, took a cigarette so why the neighbors had to come – because it is forbidden for a Jew to do any work on Saturday, rode his bicycle in the town enjoying himself – he did it demonstratively to show his independence. My mother hated it, but she was a wise woman and kept her temper. My father was a devoted husband and father and my mother avoided any scandals. On Friday morning my mother got up at 5 in the morning. She started baking pies: lekah, knyshyks and kihl. Lekah is honey cake. Kihl – rolls and knyshyks are ties with cereal or jam. Cereal stuffing was rice or millet pudding with milk. Knyshyks with Keiz are small pies with cottage cheeses and stewed onions. She made hala bread and twisted buns – popolkes. My father liked to have them with goose fat. My mother had all bakery done before my father had to leave for work. She also had dinner for Saturday stored in the oven. Our mother told us about the history and traditions of the Jewish people. She wanted to raise us religious.
My mother went to synagogue on holidays, but my father didn’t go to synagogue before the WWII. At Pesach we didn’t have any bread at home. We only had matzah. When the Soviet authorities started persecution of religious people (5) matzah was made in secret in a house and while it was made the house was guarded by Jewish men. Before Pesach my mother got a box with fancy dishes for Pesach from the attic. A woman came to our house to clean and wash our everyday dishes on the bank of the river where she scrubbed all dishes and bowls with sand and washed in the floating water. Then this kitchenware was taken to the attic. My mother always followed kashrut. The rabbi in our town, a very religious man, visited Jewish families asking them whether they needed help. He was treated to food in their houses, but he refused to eat, but when my mother treated him he accepted with pleasure, confident that all kosher rules had been observed properly.
My mother was very religious, but my father was an atheist. He wasn’t a communist, but he demonstrated his negative attitude towards religion. My mother started Shabbat on Friday evening lighting candles. She didn’t do any work on Saturday. She didn’t even strike a match on Saturday. Our neighbor came to us to start a fire in the stove. My father, vice a versa, took a cigarette so why the neighbors had to come – because it is forbidden for a Jew to do any work on Saturday, rode his bicycle in the town enjoying himself – he did it demonstratively to show his independence. My mother hated it, but she was a wise woman and kept her temper. My father was a devoted husband and father and my mother avoided any scandals. On Friday morning my mother got up at 5 in the morning. She started baking pies: lekah, knyshyks and kihl. Lekah is honey cake. Kihl – rolls and knyshyks are ties with cereal or jam. Cereal stuffing was rice or millet pudding with milk. Knyshyks with Keiz are small pies with cottage cheeses and stewed onions. She made hala bread and twisted buns – popolkes. My father liked to have them with goose fat. My mother had all bakery done before my father had to leave for work. She also had dinner for Saturday stored in the oven. Our mother told us about the history and traditions of the Jewish people. She wanted to raise us religious.
My mother went to synagogue on holidays, but my father didn’t go to synagogue before the WWII. At Pesach we didn’t have any bread at home. We only had matzah. When the Soviet authorities started persecution of religious people (5) matzah was made in secret in a house and while it was made the house was guarded by Jewish men. Before Pesach my mother got a box with fancy dishes for Pesach from the attic. A woman came to our house to clean and wash our everyday dishes on the bank of the river where she scrubbed all dishes and bowls with sand and washed in the floating water. Then this kitchenware was taken to the attic. My mother always followed kashrut. The rabbi in our town, a very religious man, visited Jewish families asking them whether they needed help. He was treated to food in their houses, but he refused to eat, but when my mother treated him he accepted with pleasure, confident that all kosher rules had been observed properly.
, Ukraine
After the revolution of 1917 a leather shop was opened in Starokonstantinov. My father worked there as logistics specialist. He purchased leather. Later he became Chairman of this shop. He employed his brother Duvid in this shop. Duvid was a worker. Shmil-Lobe worked at the grain storage facility. When the Great Patriotic War began in 1941, Duvid’s sons were in the army. His older son Nikolay was in a borderline unit and perished in the first days of the war. Duvid’s younger son Leo was at the front. Duvid’s wife Nehoma refused to evacuate: she was afraid that Leo would return home and find it empty. Duvid and Nehoma stayed in Starokonstantinov and perished when Germans occupied the town. My uncle Shmil-Lobe returned from evacuation and got his former job at the leather storage facility. He had three children: two sons and a daughter. After the WWII his younger son Mitia was an investigation officer in Drogobych, and his older son Fima was an engineer at the TV factory in Lvov. They are married. Shmil-Lobe’s daughter lives in Lvov. Shmil-Lobe died in 1974 and was buried at the Jewish cemetery in Starokonstantinov.
My mother’s family lived in Matsevichi village of Gritsevsk district. There were 20 to 30 Jewish families in this town, but there was a synagogue and cheder in the town. There was also a Ukrainian primary school in the village. Jews in Matsevichi were farmers, handicraftsmen and tradesmen. People had no conflicts and supported one another. There were no Jewish pogroms in the village; only after the revolution gangs came to the village. (Editors note: In 1920s there were many gangs in Ukraine.) Bandits needed food and self-made vodka, food and money and they didn’t care whether it was a Jewish or non-Jewish family that they attacked.
My mother’s family lived in Matsevichi village of Gritsevsk district. There were 20 to 30 Jewish families in this town, but there was a synagogue and cheder in the town. There was also a Ukrainian primary school in the village. Jews in Matsevichi were farmers, handicraftsmen and tradesmen. People had no conflicts and supported one another. There were no Jewish pogroms in the village; only after the revolution gangs came to the village. (Editors note: In 1920s there were many gangs in Ukraine.) Bandits needed food and self-made vodka, food and money and they didn’t care whether it was a Jewish or non-Jewish family that they attacked.
, Ukraine
My mother’s father Shmil Makovetskiy was a rabbi. He came to Matsevichi after finishing his studies in yeshiva. I don’t know where he came from. He was born in the late 1860s. I saw his photograph. He was a very handsome man. He had a long well groomed beard. My grandfather was a very religious and reserved man. He perished in 1920, 7 years before I was born and this is all I know about him.
My mother had two older brothers. Her oldest brother Moshe was born in 1893 and Usher was born in 1896. My mother was born on 6 September 1901.
My mother’s brothers got a religious education at cheder. My mother studied at home with a teacher from cheder. My mother could read and write in Hebrew and Yiddish. She prayed in Hebrew. She also studied French with another teacher. My mother learned Polish from her friends – daughters of the family of Polish lord living in a mansion not far from their house. My mother’s parents were respectable people. Hers was a religious family.
During the Civil war of 1914-1918 the power switched from one military formation to another: from the “green” units (2), white guard (3), Petlura units (4) and others. My mother’s brother Usher was married and lived in the vicinity of Starokonstantinov with his family. They were expecting their first baby. Once in 1919 Usher was going home from Starokonstantinov. He met Petlura soldiers. Usher was wearing good boots. The soldiers shot him and took his boots. He was foun on the road in the morning. He was buried at the Jewish cemetery in Starokonstantinov. Usher’s daughter was born after he died. His wife remarried and kept out of touch with our family.
My mother’s brother Moshe left Matsevichi for Nikolaev in 1916. He had a wife – Dobtsia and four children. He was a driver. My mother’s brothers and their families were religious people. They observed traditions and went to synagogue.
My mother had two older brothers. Her oldest brother Moshe was born in 1893 and Usher was born in 1896. My mother was born on 6 September 1901.
My mother’s brothers got a religious education at cheder. My mother studied at home with a teacher from cheder. My mother could read and write in Hebrew and Yiddish. She prayed in Hebrew. She also studied French with another teacher. My mother learned Polish from her friends – daughters of the family of Polish lord living in a mansion not far from their house. My mother’s parents were respectable people. Hers was a religious family.
During the Civil war of 1914-1918 the power switched from one military formation to another: from the “green” units (2), white guard (3), Petlura units (4) and others. My mother’s brother Usher was married and lived in the vicinity of Starokonstantinov with his family. They were expecting their first baby. Once in 1919 Usher was going home from Starokonstantinov. He met Petlura soldiers. Usher was wearing good boots. The soldiers shot him and took his boots. He was foun on the road in the morning. He was buried at the Jewish cemetery in Starokonstantinov. Usher’s daughter was born after he died. His wife remarried and kept out of touch with our family.
My mother’s brother Moshe left Matsevichi for Nikolaev in 1916. He had a wife – Dobtsia and four children. He was a driver. My mother’s brothers and their families were religious people. They observed traditions and went to synagogue.
, Ukraine
My father and his brothers studied at cheder. I don’t know whether they had any other education, but my father was a very intelligent man. He always helped my sister and me with our homework on mathematics. All brothers in the family learned a profession. Yukl became a shoemaker. He had a wife and three children. Yukl died of some disease in 1940. He was buried at the Jewish cemetery in Starokonstantinov in accordance with the Jewish traditions. My parents supported Yukl’s widow.
The family lived in the Novoye Stroyeniye neighborhood in Starokonstantinov located across the bridge on the Ikopeth River. Their hut with ground floors was on the bank of the river. They were extremely poor. My father told me that they always had matzah at Pesach that they got from richer Jewish family that believed it to be their duty to give matzah to poor families before holiday. My father knew that richer Jews ate matzah with chicken or goose fat – matzah with shmolt (Editor’s note: goose fat - on Yiddish) and he dreamed of trying it. His mother dipped pieces of matzah into hot water, sprinkled with salt and gave it to her children. My father believed it to be matzah with shmolt. My grandmother was a very religious woman. She went to synagogue on Saturday and on holidays and lit candles at Shabbat. They only ate kosher food. They spoke Yiddish in their family and Ukrainian – with their neighbors.
My father and his brothers studied at cheder. I don’t know whether they had any other education, but my father was a very intelligent man. He always helped my sister and me with our homework on mathematics.
The family lived in the Novoye Stroyeniye neighborhood in Starokonstantinov located across the bridge on the Ikopeth River. Their hut with ground floors was on the bank of the river. They were extremely poor. My father told me that they always had matzah at Pesach that they got from richer Jewish family that believed it to be their duty to give matzah to poor families before holiday. My father knew that richer Jews ate matzah with chicken or goose fat – matzah with shmolt (Editor’s note: goose fat - on Yiddish) and he dreamed of trying it. His mother dipped pieces of matzah into hot water, sprinkled with salt and gave it to her children. My father believed it to be matzah with shmolt. My grandmother was a very religious woman. She went to synagogue on Saturday and on holidays and lit candles at Shabbat. They only ate kosher food. They spoke Yiddish in their family and Ukrainian – with their neighbors.
My father and his brothers studied at cheder. I don’t know whether they had any other education, but my father was a very intelligent man. He always helped my sister and me with our homework on mathematics.
, Ukraine
My sister lived in Kholmogory in Arkhangelsk region in the north of Russia in 1500km to the north of Moscow. She was a pretty girl and had many local admirers. My sister was a doctor in the local hospital. She met her future husband there. He was a patient of the hospital. He was Russian. His name was Cyril Shyrokov. He was a nice man. He fell in love with my sister. She didn’t want to marry him, but she decided that marriage would protect her from annoying passes of local men. My father was indignant when he heard the news. Her marrying a man of different faith was a disgrace in his opinion. My father demanded that my sister divorced her husband and came home. But my sister couldn’t quit her job. She was liable for military service and had to stay where she was assigned. My sister came home after the war. She was pregnant. Return to Starokonstantinov prior to divorcing her Russian husband was out of the question. The family couldn’t go back home in such disgrace. Just to think about appearing in sight of the rabbi and neighbors was impossible.
End of the war was a big holidays for the people. There was much joy in the streets with everybody kissing and hugging. We looked forward to going home in our warm Ukraine. In 1945 our parents decided to go to Nikopol where my mother’s older brother Moshe and his family lived. We didn’t know what happened to our house or where we would find accommodation. My parents were hoping that my sister would divorce her Russian husband and we would be able to come back to Starokonstantinov. My mother was looking forward to seeing her brother who she hadn’t seen for almost 20 years. But Moshe had been shot in his truck before we arrived. It happened in 1945 after the war, so his murderer might have been an anti-Semite or something.
End of the war was a big holidays for the people. There was much joy in the streets with everybody kissing and hugging. We looked forward to going home in our warm Ukraine. In 1945 our parents decided to go to Nikopol where my mother’s older brother Moshe and his family lived. We didn’t know what happened to our house or where we would find accommodation. My parents were hoping that my sister would divorce her Russian husband and we would be able to come back to Starokonstantinov. My mother was looking forward to seeing her brother who she hadn’t seen for almost 20 years. But Moshe had been shot in his truck before we arrived. It happened in 1945 after the war, so his murderer might have been an anti-Semite or something.
We were staying with Moshe’s family. My sister arrived later with her husband Cyril Shyrokov and their one-year-old son Boris. She was pregnant again. It was a blow for my father. He was hoping that my sister would divorce her husband, but the situation changed with her second pregnancy. My sister gave birth to a girl. Her husband gradually became a member of our family. Even my father took to liking him in the course of time. My father wasn’t working and Cyril couldn’t find a job. We were selling dough shawls at the market. We purchased them from wholesalers. Moshe’s widow and her daughter supported us, but they were also poor. My father decided that he and I would go to Starokonstantinov the rest of the family would join us later. My father was homesick and we had to prepare the house for my mother and my sister with her baby. We arrived in autumn 1946. There were two other families living in our apartment, but they gave us one room.
In few months my sister and her husband moved to Astrakhan because people said it was easier to find a job there and my mother came home to us. My sister’s husband found a job, they received a room in the hostel and lived there until 1949. My father was severely ill and needed to be looked after. My mother couldn’t work and we didn’t have money to live. So, I went to work at a bank. I was an apprentice there for a week and then I began to work as an accountant. I worked there a year and then I met my future husband.
Yuri Milrud was born in Ostropol village not far from Starokonstantinov in 1921. His Jewish name was Usher. His father Abram Milrud was a good blacksmith and his mother Ida Milrud was a housewife. Yuri had two younger brothers. His family was religious and they celebrated all holidays and observed traditions. Yuri finished school and entered Leningrad aviation institute in 1939. He studied two months before their group was sent to the aviation school in Kachinsk. After he finished this school the war began. He was sent to the tank school in Gorky and from there – to the Karelian and then – to Byelorussian front. He came as far as Berlin during the war. He was shell-shocked and had many military awards.
In few months my sister and her husband moved to Astrakhan because people said it was easier to find a job there and my mother came home to us. My sister’s husband found a job, they received a room in the hostel and lived there until 1949. My father was severely ill and needed to be looked after. My mother couldn’t work and we didn’t have money to live. So, I went to work at a bank. I was an apprentice there for a week and then I began to work as an accountant. I worked there a year and then I met my future husband.
Yuri Milrud was born in Ostropol village not far from Starokonstantinov in 1921. His Jewish name was Usher. His father Abram Milrud was a good blacksmith and his mother Ida Milrud was a housewife. Yuri had two younger brothers. His family was religious and they celebrated all holidays and observed traditions. Yuri finished school and entered Leningrad aviation institute in 1939. He studied two months before their group was sent to the aviation school in Kachinsk. After he finished this school the war began. He was sent to the tank school in Gorky and from there – to the Karelian and then – to Byelorussian front. He came as far as Berlin during the war. He was shell-shocked and had many military awards.
, Ukraine
His parents and brothers stayed in Ostropol during the war. His father worked for Germans, but when Germans were retreating from Ostropol they shot the whole family. From Berlin Yuri was sent to work in Chernovtsy. He came to see his relatives in Starokonstantinov. We met and he proposed to me in three days. I gave my consent. My father was against my marriage. He thought that there was no man worthy of me. We had a civil wedding ceremony in Starokonstantinov and moved to Chernovtsy in 1947. I didn’t change my last name to my husband’s. I knew how unhappy my father was that he didn’t have a son to keep the name of the family. His son died in infantry and my sister and I kept our family name after we got married.
There were many Jews in Chernovtsy and people spoke Yiddish everywhere. There was a kosher butcher’s store name: “Kosher” not far from our home. There was a Jewish theater in the town, a Jewish school and a synagogue. The general atmosphere of tolerance and benevolence was very pleasant. I felt at home in this town. My husband and I had poor Yiddish and so we spoke Russian.
My husband received two rooms in a 4-room apartment. He entered the Faculty of History at the University and graduated from it in a year and a half passing all exams externally. Upon graduation my husband worked as a teacher at a school for boys in Chernovtsy. He was a communist and was soon appointed director of the school.
I was admitted to the Medical Institute in Chernovtsy, but I was pregnant already. I withdrew my documents from the Medical Institute and entered the Physics and Mathematic Faculty of Pedagogical Institute to study there by correspondence. I went to Starokonstantinov to have my baby born where my mother was. Our first baby was born in Starokonstantinov on 29 January 1948. He was named Alexei. When he was three months old we returned to Chernovtsy. I studied at the Institute by for a year and went to the Philology Faculty at the University on the 2nd year. I could get a better education at the University. I didn’t have to attend lectures. Studying by correspondence was more convenient. I took exams twice a year and spent the rest of the time with my son. On 29 December 1950 our second son Sergey was born.
There were many Jews in Chernovtsy and people spoke Yiddish everywhere. There was a kosher butcher’s store name: “Kosher” not far from our home. There was a Jewish theater in the town, a Jewish school and a synagogue. The general atmosphere of tolerance and benevolence was very pleasant. I felt at home in this town. My husband and I had poor Yiddish and so we spoke Russian.
My husband received two rooms in a 4-room apartment. He entered the Faculty of History at the University and graduated from it in a year and a half passing all exams externally. Upon graduation my husband worked as a teacher at a school for boys in Chernovtsy. He was a communist and was soon appointed director of the school.
I was admitted to the Medical Institute in Chernovtsy, but I was pregnant already. I withdrew my documents from the Medical Institute and entered the Physics and Mathematic Faculty of Pedagogical Institute to study there by correspondence. I went to Starokonstantinov to have my baby born where my mother was. Our first baby was born in Starokonstantinov on 29 January 1948. He was named Alexei. When he was three months old we returned to Chernovtsy. I studied at the Institute by for a year and went to the Philology Faculty at the University on the 2nd year. I could get a better education at the University. I didn’t have to attend lectures. Studying by correspondence was more convenient. I took exams twice a year and spent the rest of the time with my son. On 29 December 1950 our second son Sergey was born.
, Ukraine
In 1948 the cosmopolite trials began (9). The Jewish school and theater in Chernovtsy were closed. Many Jewish teachers and scientists were fired. I was staying at home looking after my children, but I read articles about what was going on in magazines and newspapers. It was fearful. I didn’t know what to believe. My husband wasn’t an active member of the party. He entered the party at the front, but he didn’t participate in any public activities.
In 1949 my sister, her husband and son moved to Starokonstantinov. Their little daughter died from an epidemic in Astrakhan. My sister received an apartment and my father convinced the family living in our house to move to her apartment so that she could be living close to her parents. After the war our house was repaired. Gas and water piping and boiler were installed. My father got a closer acquaintance with my sister’s husband Cyril. Cyril was a devoted husband and a nice man. He treated my parents with great respect. At the beginning my father talked to him unpleasantly distressed about his daughter marrying a non-Jewish man. But Cyril took it easy and did not argue with my father. Gradually my father changed his attitude. Cyril became director of a department store. He was a respectable man in Starokonstantinov. The Jews of the town used to say that a non-Jewish man like him was worth of ten Jewish men. In 1950 their daughter Lialia was born. She was a lovely girl. My sister went to work as children’s doctor at the children’s hospital. She was a very good doctor and soon was promoted to head of department.
In 1953 during the period of the “doctors’ case” (10) my sister was very concerned about the situation. She was even thinking of quitting her job before she was fired, but things turned out all right. She was a good doctor and people trusted her.
My father stopped being skeptical about the Jewish religion and traditions after the war. My parents celebrated Shabbat and Jewish holidays at home. Cyril also participated in celebrations. He was the one to ask questions during Seder at Pesach. At Pesach we had matzah at home. In the first year after the war when I still lived with my parents we made matzah at home. We had a wheel to make holes in the dough. In few years matzah began to be baked in Krasilov and my mother’s acquaintances sent us matzah from there. My mother sent me some matzah to Chernovtsy. We couldn’t get together to celebrate holidays – those were working days and we had to go to work.
My father died in 1960. My mother died in 1982. They were buried at the Jewish cemetery in Starokonstantinov. Last years my mother lived alone in our old house helping my sister to look after her children and do work about the house.
In 1949 my sister, her husband and son moved to Starokonstantinov. Their little daughter died from an epidemic in Astrakhan. My sister received an apartment and my father convinced the family living in our house to move to her apartment so that she could be living close to her parents. After the war our house was repaired. Gas and water piping and boiler were installed. My father got a closer acquaintance with my sister’s husband Cyril. Cyril was a devoted husband and a nice man. He treated my parents with great respect. At the beginning my father talked to him unpleasantly distressed about his daughter marrying a non-Jewish man. But Cyril took it easy and did not argue with my father. Gradually my father changed his attitude. Cyril became director of a department store. He was a respectable man in Starokonstantinov. The Jews of the town used to say that a non-Jewish man like him was worth of ten Jewish men. In 1950 their daughter Lialia was born. She was a lovely girl. My sister went to work as children’s doctor at the children’s hospital. She was a very good doctor and soon was promoted to head of department.
In 1953 during the period of the “doctors’ case” (10) my sister was very concerned about the situation. She was even thinking of quitting her job before she was fired, but things turned out all right. She was a good doctor and people trusted her.
My father stopped being skeptical about the Jewish religion and traditions after the war. My parents celebrated Shabbat and Jewish holidays at home. Cyril also participated in celebrations. He was the one to ask questions during Seder at Pesach. At Pesach we had matzah at home. In the first year after the war when I still lived with my parents we made matzah at home. We had a wheel to make holes in the dough. In few years matzah began to be baked in Krasilov and my mother’s acquaintances sent us matzah from there. My mother sent me some matzah to Chernovtsy. We couldn’t get together to celebrate holidays – those were working days and we had to go to work.
My father died in 1960. My mother died in 1982. They were buried at the Jewish cemetery in Starokonstantinov. Last years my mother lived alone in our old house helping my sister to look after her children and do work about the house.
, Ukraine
My sister Fira and her husband lived in Starokonstantinov. My sister’s family also was there to help my mother. Their son graduated from the Lvov Polytechnic Institute. He got a job assignment in Dnepropetrovsk. He still works at a research institute there. Their daughter Lialia graduated from Medical Institute in Leningrad and works at a clinic there. Her husband is a surgeon. My sister’s husband had a stroke in 2001. Cyril died on 4 November 2001. Lialia was staying with her parents while her father was ill. After his funeral she stayed with her mother for two months. My sister was reluctant to leave Starokonstantinov, but she couldn’t live alone. She moved to her son Boris in Dnepropetrovsk. Boris and his wife Katia take good care of her.
In March 1953 Stalin died. I couldn’t stop crying. People wore black armbands and there were meeting all over the town. The grief was overwhelming, but gradually it reduced leading to deeper understanding of the situation even before the ХХth Party Congress(11) revealed the truth. After the Congress many people saw the true state of things. But it was also true that even those who were executed at Stalin’s order were dying with the words “Long live Stalin!”. They strongly believed that he was unaware of what was happening in the country.
I graduated from the University in 1956. My husband got a job assignment in a district school near Chernovtsy. He was director of a district school in Kiselyov for two years and then in Berezhtsy. I worked as a teacher of literature in the same schools. Later we returned to Chernovtsy. I couldn’t find a job. It didn’t have anything to do with my nationality. There were no vacancies for me. I was offered a temporary job at a kindergarten and I decided to accept it. I got a job at the kindergarten near my house. I liked my new job very much and children and their parents liked me. I worked at the kindergarten until I retired.
In March 1953 Stalin died. I couldn’t stop crying. People wore black armbands and there were meeting all over the town. The grief was overwhelming, but gradually it reduced leading to deeper understanding of the situation even before the ХХth Party Congress(11) revealed the truth. After the Congress many people saw the true state of things. But it was also true that even those who were executed at Stalin’s order were dying with the words “Long live Stalin!”. They strongly believed that he was unaware of what was happening in the country.
I graduated from the University in 1956. My husband got a job assignment in a district school near Chernovtsy. He was director of a district school in Kiselyov for two years and then in Berezhtsy. I worked as a teacher of literature in the same schools. Later we returned to Chernovtsy. I couldn’t find a job. It didn’t have anything to do with my nationality. There were no vacancies for me. I was offered a temporary job at a kindergarten and I decided to accept it. I got a job at the kindergarten near my house. I liked my new job very much and children and their parents liked me. I worked at the kindergarten until I retired.
, Ukraine
My husband and I celebrated all Jewish holidays, even though I grew up an atheist. School propaganda had its impact on my outlooks. However, my mother inspired love of Jewish traditions in me and I understand that it is my identity. My husband never cared about traditions, though. I don’t think he grew up in a religious family. The environment where a person grows is very important, I think. My husband didn’t mind my observing Jewish traditions. I fasted at Yom Kippur and we celebrated Pesach at home. Of course, we didn’t follow all rules. I didn’t have special utensils for Pesach and we had bread at home. But on the first 2 or 3 days we only had matzah. After my mother died I began to buy matzah at the local synagogue. We also celebrated Soviet holidays. We had good friends – a Jewish family and always enjoyed having a good time with them. We got together on holidays to sing and dance and play games. We also celebrated New Year with them. We went skiing and had lots of fun.
My mother helped me to look after my sons when I went to work. She came to stay with us for several months in a row. I sent my sons to my mother to spend their summer vacation. They were nice kids. They were growing independent and kind.
After finishing school my older son Alexei finished a Construction College. He got married and in 1974 his son Alexandr was born. Alexei had to provide for his family and he went to work. I wish he had completed his education. He works as a foreman at the students’ camp of the University. He has a good wife. She came from an assimilated Jewish family from Chernigov region near Kiev. Her family came to Chernovtsy after the Great Patriotic War. They did not observe any traditions and my son’s family does not observe any traditions, either. They didn’t know the language.
My younger son graduated from the Technological Faculty of Kiev Institute of Light Industry. Upon graduation he returned to Chernovtsy and began to work as engineer at the factory manufacturing kitchen utensils. Later he finished the law faculty of College of Commerce in Chernovtsy. He got a job of a lawyer at the butter and margarine factory. He was promoted to Head of Law department in no time. He got married and had two children: his daughter Julia was born in 1979 and his son Roman was born in 1989. My sons have Jewish wives. It is very important for me.
My mother helped me to look after my sons when I went to work. She came to stay with us for several months in a row. I sent my sons to my mother to spend their summer vacation. They were nice kids. They were growing independent and kind.
After finishing school my older son Alexei finished a Construction College. He got married and in 1974 his son Alexandr was born. Alexei had to provide for his family and he went to work. I wish he had completed his education. He works as a foreman at the students’ camp of the University. He has a good wife. She came from an assimilated Jewish family from Chernigov region near Kiev. Her family came to Chernovtsy after the Great Patriotic War. They did not observe any traditions and my son’s family does not observe any traditions, either. They didn’t know the language.
My younger son graduated from the Technological Faculty of Kiev Institute of Light Industry. Upon graduation he returned to Chernovtsy and began to work as engineer at the factory manufacturing kitchen utensils. Later he finished the law faculty of College of Commerce in Chernovtsy. He got a job of a lawyer at the butter and margarine factory. He was promoted to Head of Law department in no time. He got married and had two children: his daughter Julia was born in 1979 and his son Roman was born in 1989. My sons have Jewish wives. It is very important for me.
, Ukraine
When Jews began to move to Israel my husband and I were not planning to move there. My husband and I grew up during the Soviet power and we believed we were not prepared to live in a capitalist society. Our children didn’t want to move there, either. They had their families and friends here and were having a good life. But we sympathized with those who were leaving. I believed it was so bad that these people were called traitors of their Motherland. I was feeling hurt. My husband and I and our children wished peace and wealth to these people in their new home country and hoped they would never come to regret that they have left. We were very glad that Jews had Israel – it is very important for all Jewish people. We have never been there, but we heard many nice things about the country from the people that visited it. We wish peace and good life to this country.
On 19 October 1995 our younger son died of infarction. He called me to ask me how I was feeling. In about an hour his wife called and told us that Sergey wasn’t feeling well. He died before we came to them. We buried him at the Jewish corner of the town cemetery in Chernovtsy. Sergey’s wife and children moved to Israel in 1997. They live in Tel-Aviv. My daughter-in-law is a housewife. She studies the language. They call me on Jewish holidays and want me to visit them, but it is expensive for me to go. If my grandchildren send me a ticket once I would be happy to go visit them and see the country.
My older grandson Alexandr, Alexei’s son, lives in Chernovtsy. He graduated from the Faculty of mathematics at University and worked as a teacher of mathematics at the Jewish school for two years. He didn’t like the system of education and he quit. He graduated from Business Faculty of the University and worked as economist at the town executive committee for some time. Now he works at a computer company. My grandson married a Ukrainian girl. She is very nice and we had no objections to their marriage.
On 19 October 1995 our younger son died of infarction. He called me to ask me how I was feeling. In about an hour his wife called and told us that Sergey wasn’t feeling well. He died before we came to them. We buried him at the Jewish corner of the town cemetery in Chernovtsy. Sergey’s wife and children moved to Israel in 1997. They live in Tel-Aviv. My daughter-in-law is a housewife. She studies the language. They call me on Jewish holidays and want me to visit them, but it is expensive for me to go. If my grandchildren send me a ticket once I would be happy to go visit them and see the country.
My older grandson Alexandr, Alexei’s son, lives in Chernovtsy. He graduated from the Faculty of mathematics at University and worked as a teacher of mathematics at the Jewish school for two years. He didn’t like the system of education and he quit. He graduated from Business Faculty of the University and worked as economist at the town executive committee for some time. Now he works at a computer company. My grandson married a Ukrainian girl. She is very nice and we had no objections to their marriage.
, Ukraine