Simon Rapoport with his brother Samuel Rapoport and nephew Solomon Shein

This is me (to the left) with my brother Samuel Rapoport and my nephew Solomon Shein during summer vacation. We were kayaking on Karku lake. The picture was taken in Tallinn in 1940. When I studied at the Jewish lyceum, I took an active part in the Zionist movement. I was a member of the youth Zionist organization Betar. Jabotinsky was at the head of the organization of the leaders of the right Zionistic movement. Betar's ideology differed much from many Jewish organizations. Betar members were taught that Jews were supposed not to pay more attention to praying, which would not help in the foundation of the state, but to learning craftsmanship, tilling and military professions. Israel needed those people as it was to be formed and protected. Having finished lyceum my elder sister Polina got married to a Jew called Leib Shein, from the Estonian town of Valga, bordering on Latvia. Leib was born in 1903. Of course, they had a traditional Jewish wedding. After getting married my sister and her husband moved to Valga. In 1936 their son Solomon was born. Leib was an entrepreneur and Polina was a housewife and raised her son. When my brother finished lyceum, he started helping Mother about work. I finished nine grades of lyceum and instead of going to the 10th grade I entered Tallinn Technical College. It was the only college in Tallinn. There were three departments - electric, construction and mechanic. I entered the mechanic department.