Etta Ferdmann and her cousins Gita and Charvie

That’s me (to the right), my cousin Gita is to the left, our youngest cousin Charvie is sitting in the center on the stool. The picture was taken in Narva in 1938.

My parents got married in 1933. They had a traditional Jewish wedding with a rabbi and chuppah. I was born in 1934 and named Etta after my grandmother. My grandmother Yachna lived in a large, six-room apartment with her numerous children. The family was clustered together – all my grandmother’s children were living there with their spouses and children. My parents also settled in that apartment after their wedding. Each family had a separate room. The only single person was my father’s brother Mikhail. The whole family had meals together at a huge table. We were very friendly. Our family spoke to me in Yiddish or Estonian. My parents spoke either Russian or Yiddish. During family reunions with Grandmother, only Yiddish was spoken.

Father’s sister Zelda married a Jew from Narva called Sinder. Their daughter Gita was born in 1932. Father’s brother Samuel married a Jewish girl from Riga. Her name was Mira. In 1937 their son Chaim Mendle was born. He was named after Grandfather. His secular name was Charvie. He was a wonderful boy.