Here I am, Zoya Lerman, in a photo taken in Kiev in the 1960?s. This photo appeared in the booklet from one of my exhibitions.
I am still working. I have exhibitions. Many of my pictures have been sold abroad. Some of them I gave away as presents. I recently got an offer to work in Germany and then organize an exhibition of my pictures there. I lived there for over two months. I had some of my works with me, and I painted while I lived there. The exhibition was held at the palace where one of the Russian tsars once resided. It was beautiful. Sometimes I go to the house of artists in the outskirts of Moscow where I work for 2 or 3 months of the year. I have many friends there. My work is very important for me. I haven't traveled much. I've only been in Poland and France, but I hope I will have an opportunity to visit other countries.
But now I find time to study Jewish history and religion, as well as Jewish traditions. I get more and more interested in these studies. I visited Israel recently. I liked it there very much. But one can live a life and be creative only where one was born. Many things are possible now thanks to Hesed and the Jewish Community Center. I used to go there with my friend, but her physical condition is worse and she cannot do it any more. I attend lectures and meetings. I have new friends and we often celebrate Jewish holidays. I read Jewish newspapers and magazines. There are so many interesting things around. I feel that by gaining all this knowledge I'm getting closer to my grandmother. She was the first to open this striking world to me.
Zoya Lerman
The Centropa Collection at USHMM
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