Ranana Malkhanova with her friend Nina Frishman

Ranana Malkhanova with her friend Nina Frishman

Here I (on the right) am with my friend Nina Frishman. This picture was taken on 26th January 2005, during the celebration of the 60-year anniversary of the Osweziem liberation in Cracow. The theater, where the ceremony was held, is in the background.

I always keep in my heart the people who saved my life. I've kept in touch with my rescuers, the Strimaitis, for many years. Now the parents and their daughter Mildei, with whom I still keep in touch, were conferred the title 'Righteous among the Nations' by the museum Yad Vashem. The Lithuanian family of Mamra, who had been sheltering us for a long time, was exiled by the Soviet regime. My mother and I exerted every effort to find them, but didn't succeed.

In 1991 [actually in 1990] Lithuania gained its independence. All of us took hard all those events connected with the resistance of Russia against the independence of the Baltic countries. I was never a communist. Being born here and living among Lithuanians, I've always supported their right for independence. Moreover, I remember my wonderful life during my childhood, when Lithuania was independent. I was formally retired, but I worked a lot and even performed simultaneous translations during the first seating of the Lithuanian government.

Unfortunately, all our hopes weren't realized. Many of those whom we elected didn't live up to our expectations, but we think positively. One of the ways the state status of Lithuania was displayed was the revival of Jewish life. There's a wonderful Jewish community in Lithuania. There's also the Jewish state school and Jewish state museum. I became an active member of the community. I'm a volunteer of the social department and member of the Council of the Ghetto Prisoners. I didn't become religious, but I gladly go back to the Jewish traditions. I take part in the Jewish holidays in the community.

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