Yakov Rabinovich and family

This is my mother's family: her parents, brothers and sisters. This photo was taken in Odessa in 1898 before my mother was born. In the first row from left to right sitting are my mother's sister Cipora, my grandmother Maria Rabinovich, nee Tseitlina with my mother's sister Sophia on her lap, my grandfather Yakov Rabinovich and my mother's siblings Victor, Yevgenia Levina, nee Rabinovich, Grigoriy and Philip. My aunt Sophia kept this photo and gave it to her daughter Marianna. According to the family legend, my mother's father changed his surname to Rabinovich to avoid mobilization to the army. This was the surname of some childless relatives who adopted him fictitiously [at that time the only sons in families were not subject to military service]. My grandfather's first name was Honon Yankel. He was a quiet man. He read a lot and helped his wife who owned a store. He often went on business trips. When he was at home, he worked in the store, always hiding his books under the counter from his enraged wife. He was born in Shklov in 1850. His wife, Maria Rabinovich, nee Tseitlina, owned a store in Odessa. She was a very busy woman and had to take care of her family. My grandmother was born in 1857. My mother's parents had twelve children. The older children were born in Shklov. After my grandfather died in 1907, the family moved to Odessa. All children finished grammar school and were educated and intelligent people. My mother Yeva Lyulkina, nee Rabinovich, was the last child in the family. Her Jewish name was Hava. She was born in 1899. My grandmother owned a big store of household goods, but her children made a different choice in their life. All the older children got involved in revolutionary activities, traveled a lot and were taken to prisons. All of their friends and comrades found shelter in the house. The younger children, Rosa [Jewish name Rachil], Sophia [Jewish name Sarrah] and my mother Yeva were supposed to take care of their older sister and brothers and their comrades, when they were behind bars. The younger children were called Sonechka, Rosochka and Yevochka in the family. They sent or delivered parcels to their brothers and sisters and their comrades in jails. My grandmother often went on business trips. While she was away, the younger children packed goods from her store and took some cash keeping it a secret from her. In 1920 or 1921 the family moved to Moscow. Grandmother Maria Rabinovich lived with her daughter Rosa till she died in 1932. I often stayed with them, when my parents took me there. I remember my grandmother well. She had a sound mind and a sense of humor till her last days. She never made the impression of an old and decrepit person. Being a real Odessite she used to repeat with the typical sense of humor that these people have: 'As much as I know, it doesn't hurt me'. The family was very close and its members always supported each other.