Meyer Goldstein's mother Sonya Voskova, aunt Golda, and other craft workers

Meyer Goldstein's mother Sonya Voskova, aunt Golda, and other craft workers

An artel of craftsmen of the town of Korsoun. Photo was made in 1925. Everyone is Jewish here. Second row second from the left on the bottom is my mother, Sonya Voskova; upper row third on the left is her sister Golda. They worked as confectioners. This photo includes hatters, tailors, shoemakers, barbers. First row on the right is Moshka Ocheretik, who organized a self-defence unit of Korsun to fight against Denikin's troops. Here are also director of the artisan's club, Boguslavsky; the shoemaker Steiman and others. Most Jews in Korsoun were craftsmen and traders. Craftsmen included tailors, hatters, shoemakers, roofers, and balaguls, those who had horses and carts, and took people to and from the train station, which was about five kilometers away from Korsoun. During Soviet times, all handicraftsmen united into an association called Shveinik, meaning 'sewing industry worker.' All of Shveinik's members were Jewish. This artel included my mother's sisters Vekha and Golda as well as many other people whom I knew. Moshka Ocheretik was a craftsman. He led the self-defense unit of the Jews who defended the population from gangs during the Civil War. Jews were all on friendly terms. They helped each other and defended themselves. And the Jews of Korsoun had good relations with Ukrainians. Many Ukrainians even spoke Yiddish as well as their native language.
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