Evadiy Rubalskiy with his friends

This is me, Evadiy Rubalskiy (sitting, the 1st from the right) at a meeting of our Jewish veterans of the war from Kiev. Standing 1st from right my friend Yakov Voloshyn. This photo was taken in Kiev in 1997.

I spent 4 years at the front line, in continuous battle operations. I only took rest, if I can call it so, in hospitals. My combat awards are my proof that I had made my contribution into our victory over the enemy: an Order of the Great Patriotic War of Grade I, an Order of Victory, two Orders of the Red Star, order For Courage, medal for Valor, medals for defense of Kiev, for defense of Stalingrad, for seizure of Konigsberg, for seizure and defense of a number of towns. I returned home from the army in 1946.

In 1946 I went to work as a construction plumber in a construction trust. I made a big contribution into installation of gas supply lines in Kiev. There was my portrait on the board of honor of our trust. I was the best specialist. In 1978 I reached my pension age. Men in the USSR retired at the age of 60. I worked on engineer positions, was a foreman and then a site superintendent. I was valued at work and I stayed until 1986, when I finally retired.

I got married in 1947. In 1948 our daughter Ludmila was born. Our second daughter Inna was born in 1953. We had lots of arguments with my wife, till we divorced after living together 21 years. Since then I’ve lived alone. My daughters and I keep in touch.

My daughters moved to Israel in 1980s. I visited Israel in 1996. Israel is a beautiful country and their standard of living are much higher than here, but it's still not for me. You cannot talk to anyone. In the morning everybody goes to work. In the evening they come home, we have dinner, talk for about an hour and then it's again time for them to go to bed since they have to go to work in the morning. Everybody works or studies and they have no time. Besides, the climate in Israel is not good for me.

I chaired the council of veterans of the 6th Guard in Kiev for 27 years. For few years I've been a member of the council of veterans in the Jewish cultural society of Ukraine. I attend their meetings and meet with friends. These meetings of Jewish veterans are always interesting. Occasionally I make reports and tell them about what I had lived through. I read many military memoirs, analyze and think about things. I receive Jewish newspapers and magazines and read them with interest. I've remained far from religion, but I attend events in the Hesed, when they invite me.