Riva Pizman and her son Igor Pizman

Riva Pizman and her son Igor Pizman

This is me with my older son Igor. Igor turned 2. I sent this photo to my husband Aron in the army. This photo was taken in Mogilyov-Podolskiy in 1954.

In 1951 my husband was recruited to the army. I was already pregnant. Our first son Igor was born in 1952, when my husband was away from home. My husband and I did not observe Jewish traditions and our sons were not circumcised. Aron didn't want me to go to work. He believed that a married woman had to take care of the household and the husband had to provide for the family. I had to quit my job, when my son Igor was born. At that time the maternity leave was one month before and one month after the birth. There was no children's food sold and I had to breastfeed the baby. I had to walk 5 km to work and could not come home to feed the baby. I had to choose between my son and my job and I made my choice. I have devoted all my life to my family.

My husband returned from the army in 1955. How I waited for him! All those who had been recruited at the same time as him, returned, but Aron was not coming home. He returned in November. He had changed and matured. He was quite a boy, when he went to the army, but he returned a man. My son didn't recognize him at once. When he returned, Aron went to work at the plant named after Kirov in Mogilyov-Podolskiy manufacturing equipment for food industry where he worked 46 years, starting as a laborer, then he became a tinsmith and then a mechanic. In 1958 he joined the party. After the army he passed exams for the 6th form and went to the 7th form of an evening school. When he came home from school, he had to do his homework, and then early in the morning he left for work. My son and I hardly ever saw him, but I knew he had to get education. He only had excellent marks at school and enjoyed his studies. In 1960 he finished the 10th form and the plat sent him to study at the plant instrument technical school in Moscow, the extramural department. Again he spent all of his time studying and working. He received tasks from Moscow, which he sent back after completing them. Once a year he went to take exams in Moscow. In 1961 our second son Mikhail named after my deceased brother was born. My husband had no time to help me and I actually raised our sons alone till he finished his studies. I was patient and never reproached him for spending so little time with us. After he finished his studies Aron went to work at the design office. He was valued for his good performance. Aron even has few inventions. Aron could finally spend more time with me and the children. He made a very good husband and father.

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