Riva Pizman with her mother Golda Gershberg
This is me, Riva Gershberg, photographed with my mama Golda Gershberg, shortly before my wedding. I am wearing the coat that my mother made, and I borrowed a hat from my friend. This photo was taken in Mogilyov-Podolskiy in 1949.
After the war my mother began to sew again. Of course, it was still hard. If not hands of my mother, we would not have survived. Mama altered clothes or made new clothes, which she sell at the market. But we were happy that we didn't have to be afraid of air raids, Germans or camps. My mama died in 1984. We buried her in the Jewish cemetery, but arranged a secular funeral for her. Mama remained an atheist to the last days of her life.
In 1946 I finished the 5th form at school. That year our school was disbanded. There were only 13 of 30 schoolchildren left in my class: some perished during the war, others had to go to work to support themselves and their families, and authorities decided to bring two schools together. I thought I it was time for me to support mama, and went to work as a lab assistant at the buttery and went to the 6th form in the evening school where my cousin Riva was a mathematic teacher. Of course, it was hard to study and work but I felt better supporting my mother. I joined Komsomol in the evening school.
In 1948 I met my future husband Aron Pizman. Aron was born in Mogilyov- Podolskiy in 1930. We met at a party on 1 May 1948. I liked Aron and so did my mother. She believed him to be a nice and reliable person. Aron met me after my classes in the evening school to accompany me home. He carried my briefcase since I didn't have mittens and my hands froze. Soon he proposed to me and I gave my consent. We had a civil ceremony in the registry office on 5 December 1949. . It was a frosty day and there was some snow on the ground - the day was lovely. Mama bought a white silk coat underlining at the market and made me a wedding gown. She even made a little rose from leftovers of the fabric. I borrowed a little white crocheted from my friend. Aron made me a wedding ring from a silver spoon. In the evening my mother arranged a wedding dinner for us.