Rahmil Shmushkevich’s sister Rachel Dubinskaya and her son Alik

Rahmil Shmushkevich’s sister Rachel Dubinskaya and her son Alik

My sister Rachel Shmushkevich and her 7-year old son Alik. Photo made in Kiev in 1950 and sent to Vorkuta where I was in the camp.

I could get only one letter at a month from my house, and send too one at a month, but I knew that beside them okay. Parcel and meeting with native were forbid.

My sister Rachel and our mother lived together in Kiev. Rachel finished an accounting course and worked as an accountant at the confectioner before the war. She married David Dubinsky, a worker and a Jews. He was on the front during the war, was wounded and returned home almost blind. Rachel was in evacuation in Sverdlovsk region in the Ural. She worked at the military plant. She gave birth to a boy - Alik - in 1942. After the war she continued working as an accountant. Now my sister and her son live in Israel. Her husband David Dubinskiy died in 1965. They were a traditional Jewish family. They spoke Yiddish in the family and observed Jewish traditions even after the war.

My mother and Rachel's (my sister) family always observed Jewish traditions. At Pesach my mother and then my sister went to the synagogue and stood in lines over night to get some matsah. We always visited them on these days. My mother was a very good housewife. She made delicious stewed chicken, stuffed chicken neck, cutlets and clear soup. We also visited them on Soviet holidays.

In 1990 my sister Rachel, her son Alik, her daughter-in-law and two grandchildren left for Israel.

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