Photo of mum with friends on study .
My mum, Ginda Basok, was brought up in the Soviet times. I do not know where she studied in childhood. Possibly, in her Father's house or may be in an elementary school. I know that in 1924-1927 she studied at a rabfak. [Rabfak - school for adults].
Mum had good friends there and that friendship lasted many years. Among her friends were sisters Esther and Rachel Lanes, Aron Smelyak. Later Esther and Aron got married and daughter Tina was born to them.
The life of Aron Smelyak is very interesting. He came from a poor Jewish family, was illeterate and worked as a shoemaker. Aron appeared to be a very capable, talented man. After rabfac he managed to enter an institute and obtained a diploma in economics and in a few years supervised a big financial department of a large factory in Nikolaev.
When we were evacated to the Urals, Esther and Tina went with us in one train. I know that after the war Esther and Aron lived, worked and died in Nikolaev.