This is me, Kurt Sadlik, and my favorite grandchild, my younger granddaughter Olga, during a walk in a park. This photo was taken in Uzhorod in 1995.
My younger daughter Irina married a Jewish man. I was happy about it, but he turned out to be a drunkard. My daughter was horrified about it. Even though he provided for her well she divorced him. After finishing school Irina went to work at the quality assurance department at a plant. She and her children live with me.
She has two children. Her older son Denis was born in 1978. Denis finished a lower secondary school and didn’t want to continue his education. He is a baker. My younger granddaughter Olga, born in 1991 goes to school. She studies well. I spend a lot of time with her. I enjoy these moments.
Jewish life in Uzhorod revived during perestroika. Jews could go to the synagogue without fear that someone would see them. When Ukraine gained independence the Jewish life began to develop rapidly.
I am very pleased that my younger granddaughter identifies herself as Jew. Olga has attended a Jewish school for two years. I told her that there was such a school and she wanted to go there. I took her there for the first time since she was a little shy, but then she began to go there every Sunday. Olga took part in their performance at Purim. They sing and dance at school. This year [in 2003] Olga attends an evening club at Hesed where they study Ivrit.
We observe Sabbath at home and have a festive meal. Olga lights candles and prays over them. My daughter Irina observes it with us. Regretfully, my other grandchildren don’t care about their Jewish identity. Olga enjoys her studies and I hope she will learn everything a Jewish girl is supposed to know while I am with them.
