Rosa Shkop

Rosa Shkop

This is my mother Rosa Shkop, nee Rosenko, as a 16-year-old lyceum student. The picture was taken in Tartu in 1900. Grandmother gave birth to five children, four daughters and a son. The eldest was Sarah, born in 1880, the second Dina, born in 1882. My mother Rosa, the third daughter, was born in 1884. Another daughter Luba - Jewish name Liebe - was born two years after Mother, and then, finally, the long-awaited son, German, came into the world. His Jewish name was Solomon. All children were raised Jewish. Only Yiddish was spoken at home. Of course, the grandparents and their children also knew Estonian and German which was common in Estonia. Sabbath and all Jewish holidays were marked at home; kashrut was observed as it was holy. The five children got good education. All studied at a lyceum. I am not sure if it was a Jewish lyceum. Recently there was an exhibition in Tartu on the subject of education in Estonia. My son went to see it. There was my mother's certificate stating her transfer to the next grade. My son said she had straight excellent marks there. In general, my mom and her siblings were very gifted. I do not know where my parents met. All I know is that they had a true Jewish wedding in Tartu with the rabbi and chuppah.
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