This is me when I turned 14. Our neighbor's son photographed me just for the memory. This photo was taken in Borovka in 1928.
In 1922 I went to school. After finishing the four-year Jewish school its pupils continued their studies in the Ukrainian school. My parents decided to send my brother and me to the Ukrainian school from the very beginning. We were fluent in Ukrainian and had no problems in this regard.
I liked school. I made new friends: Jewish and Ukrainian. There were quite a few Jewish pupils in my class. The teachers treated us in a similar manner, and there was no segregation at school. I have happy memories about school.
After school I hurried home to do my homework and housework. Mama spent much time in the store, and I had my home chores to do. I cleaned and did the laundry and cleaned vegetables so that my mother spent less time cooking. I also had to look after my sister, who was five years younger than me. And I also managed to play with my friends in the street and read a little.
I finished the seven-year school in 1929. I was the oldest in the family: my brother and sister still went to school. I had to support the family and go to work.
In the middle of the 1920s Jewish and Ukrainian kolkhozes were organized in Borovka. The Jewish kolkhoz had a cow farm and farmlands growing grain and vegetables. I went to work in the field. During summer vacations my younger sister and brother also worked in the field to earn some money.
We got payment in fall after harvest time. We were paid a little money and grain and vegetables for our work. I wanted to buy a cut of fabric to make a dress so much, but there was too little money for anything. I decided I had to find a better-paid job, which was hard to do in Borovka.
