Naum Bitman’s friends

Naum Bitman’s friends

This is delegation from Israel on the international festival of youth and students in 1957. I went to this festival from Kiev as it was a great event at its time. I met people from the delegation from Israel. Left - head of the delegation David Sherh, I communicated with him.

I understand that one may want to ask me why I never left Israel considering such attitude. It would not be easy for me to put it into words.  I have been interested in Israel and I was glad that Jewish people formed their own state over 50 years ago.  In 1957 I went to the Festival of youth and students in Moscow on purpose. I met there members of the delegation from Israel, I traveled with them in their bus. We took pictures and I asked them about their country.   I didn't care that it wasn't quite safe to do so in those years. There was State Security Committee (KGB) watching everybody and I could be punished. But I didn't care then. I was happy to communicate with real people from Israel. There were several reasons why I hadn't left for Israel: my mother that didn't want to go, and my Russian wife that didn't even want to hear about leaving for Israel. Well, it happened so that I never left for Israel and was never happy in my private life. And now, I believe, it is way too late to go to Israel. One has to go there when one is young to be able to do something for your country.

Open this page

Centropa Collection acquired by USHMM

The Centropa archive has been acquired by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. 

USHMM will soon offer a Special Collections page for Centropa.

Academics please note: USHMM can provide you with original language word-for-word transcripts and high resolution photographs. All publications should be credited: "From the Centropa Collection at the United States Memorial Museum in Washington, DC". Please contact collection [at] centropa.org.