The chuppah at the wedding of my older son Alexandr. From left to right, sitting: my son’s wife's mother, her younger daughter, my son Alexandr's wife Maria Katz, my wife Vera Katz, nee Boldur. Standing: my older son Alexandr Katz, my younger son Vladimir Katz and I. This photo was taken in Khust in 1978.
Our first son Alexandr was born in 1958. His Jewish name is Usher after my father. Our second son Vladimir, born in 1962, has the Jewish name of Wolf after Vera’s father. Both sons had their brit milah. They studied at school and were Young Octoberists, pioneers and Komsomol members as required in the Soviet times. However, I taught them everything Jewish boys should know. My sons knew Jewish history and traditions and knew their prayers.
They studied well at school. They helped their mother about the house and in the garden. After finishing an eight-year Ukrainian school in Korolevo, Alexandr entered a Forestry College in Khust. He finished it with a red diploma, awarded to students having only excellent grades, and worked as chief of industrial shops in Khust. My younger son Vladimir, after finishing the Electrotechnical College, worked as a repairman of household appliances.
They married Jewish girls and both sons had Jewish weddings with a chuppah. When in 1980 Alexandr’s son David was born there was nobody who could perform the circumcision in Khust. My wife took my little grandson to Moscow where he had his brit milah. My younger son has two daughters: Olga, born in 1989, her Jewish name is Golda, and Helena, born in 1990, her Jewish name is Hendl after my mother.
