Orlikova Elena’s father ‘s family

Photograph of the family of my father Zinoviy Orlikov. Yankel Faivish, my father's grandfather, is in the center; his wife is beside him; Leib Orlikov, my grandfather, is sitting on the left. Standing before him is Misha Orlikov, my uncle. Standing behind my grandfather: the third on the right is my Uncle Solomon Orlikov, my grandmother, the fifth on the left is my father Zinoviy Orlikov.

My father Zinoviy Lvovich Orlikov was a merchant. Later he worked as a clerk, but one way or another he was always involved in commercial activities. My father was born in 1896 in Elisavetgrad (modern Kirovograd) to a very big and harmonious Jewish family. His father Leib Orlikov was a teacher of literature in grammar school. He was a very intelligent and educated man. This was a Russian grammar school. Jewish grammar schools did not exist at that time. My grandfather was born in 1868 somewhere in the south of Russia. We don't have any information about his place of birth. All we know is that he had moved to Elisavetgrad. At least, he was the only Orlikov in this town and there were no relatives of his around. The young teacher rented an apartment in a respectable Jewish house that belonged to Yankel Faivish. I don't know what business my grandfather's landlord had. All I know is that he was a highly respectable man in the town. He had a seat of his own in the synagogue. He always wore a silk skullcap and a long coat. He was very neatly dressed. His wife always wore a black shawl. She was the hostess of a very big house and the mother of a big family. She was always busy with her housekeeping chores. They spoke Yiddish in the house, of course. They knew Russian, but it was poor Russian, because my grandfather Orlikov had to communicate with them in Yiddish. He knew Yiddish. On Friday evening they all got together at the big table in a big room. They called it a hall. Madam Faivish lit the candles and the host of the house said prayers. After this ceremony they all could start eating. They also invited their tenant - my grandfather. He met his future wife in this household. Unfortunately, we don't know her name.

My grandmother and grandmother got married in 1894 when my grandmother reached 18. They lived with the Faivish family at first, but later my grandfather received an apartment from the grammar school where he was working. Their older son and my father Zalman Orlikov was born in this apartment in 1896. They called him Zinoviy in the family. They boy was circumcised. They followed all traditions as was customary in the Jewish families at that time. Their second son was born in 1898. He was called Solomon. My grandmother was a housewife and was raising their children. In 1911 (15 years after they had their first son) Moishe-Haim - we called him Michail, Misha - their third son, was born. Their family was rather well off and they were trying to educate their children. Zinoviy studied at the commerce school and Solomon went to grammar school. But in 1917 Lev, Leib Orlikov, my grandfather, died from the infarction, and my father became the head of the family at 21.