This is I, Hertz Rogovoy (2nd to the left) with my relatives in Kiev Park of Honor by the Obelisk to the Unknown Soldier. From left to right: my older grandson Yuri, I, my daughter Irina, my junior grandson Igor. I have the following awards on my jacket: three yellow stripes standing for severe wounds. Red stripes stand for minor injuries. Blue ones stand for contusions, I do not wear those. My awards from top to bottom, from left to right: Great Patriotic War Order of the 1st class, Great Patriotic War Order of the 2nd class, Red Star Order. Below are honorary awards and insignia: Guards insignia, Veteran of the 62nd Guards Army under Chuykov's command, Veteran Council insignia, medals and insignia devoted to memorable victory dates and USSR memorial dates. To the top left side there are Ukrainian awards: the 1st row- Cross for the bravery, medal "To the Defender of the Motherland", medal "60 Years Since Kiev's Liberation". The second row: order of the Military Red Banner, medal "For the Bravery", 2 medals "For military merits", "for Battles for Moscow", "For Stalingrad Battles", Pole Cross for the Merits, medal "For Kiev Liberation", "For Defeating Germany". The rest of the medals are devoted to the anniversaries of the Soviet Army, medal "Labor Veteran", 2 Israeli medals: the 50th and the 55th victory anniversaries. Totally I have 30 medals and 5 military orders. The picture was taken on May 9, 2002.
In 1975 I found out that there was a vacancy of a therapist in the sanatorium of Ministry of Defense in the Kiev suburbs, Puscha-Voditsa. I went there and I was offered a job. I had worked there for 23 years and retired at the beginning 1998. When Ukraine was declared independent, a lot of Jewish communities appeared. There is a cultural center, which I like, and Hesed, performing great useful work. I am a member of the Kiev organization of Jew-veterans of war. I deal with medicine. I attend sick people in the hospital, officially receive war veterans. I have my reception hours. I am "a call-doctor" - veterans call me at any time, when they require a medical consultation. I am very grateful to Hesed, and to those people, who give money to support its work. I know about Hesed not by hearsay. I have been working here since my retirement. I am taking patients in Hesed medical office every day. My conscience is clear, I am a volunteer and work for free. I consider, that my work, and the work of Hesed on the whole are needed. We have day hospital, I also work there. There one can be examined and treated.
My daughter graduated from Kiev State University, physics and mathematics department, radiography. She worked in the day time, and after work she attended classes. Irina got married after graduating from the University. She kept her maiden name, Rogovaya, after getting married. Both of her sons took the father's name Khokhlov. Yuri was born in 1980, and Igor in 1984. Irina worked as an engineer in X-ray diagnostics. She is retired now. Radiographers retire at the age of 45 as their job is harmful to health. Both of my grandchildren study. Yuri got the Master's degree in Kiev polytechnic university, and works there as an assistant. The younger, Igor, is studying in Kiev polytechnic institute. My daughter and her children are very dear people to me.
I still remain religious. Though, there are only two holidays that I mark - Pesach and Yom Kippur. I certainly go to synagogue during those holidays. I attend the synagogue my father went to, the one located at Shchekavitskaya street. Unfortunately I do not know Hebrew, but I have a contemporary prayer book with Russian translation. The last 35 years I keep a tradition not to eat or drink during Yom Kippur. This year I fasted, too, even though I turned 80, and then I took my economy car, given to me as a handicapped during Great Patriotic War, and went to the synagogue. Though, I understand that I should not drive. I cannot stay there for the whole day, so I go there by 4 and stay by the end of the praying. Then I go home for the feast. This is the day of our family get-together. My grandchildren come. My daughter, though half-blood, always attends synagogue with me. My wife is aloof to that. She went there with me for two or three times. My daughter supports me and goes there with me. She knows how important it is for me. This is our tradition, along with the 9th of May, the victory day’s tradition. The whole family gets together to go to the monument of the military honor. This tradition will be kept on, until I am alive.
