Sheindla Poliak, my mother (nee Gabovich). This photograph was taken in Belaya Tserkov in 1916. Signed: "To my good friend Gorenshtein. Sheindla Gabovich."
My mother Gabovich Shendle-Rivah was born in Belaya Terkov in 1895.
This was a town in the province where countess Bronitskaya lived. She was the wife of count Pototskiy. The gangs did not come to Belaya Tserkovand the Gabovich family stayed alive. This was an interesting town. There was a famous Aleandriyskiy park that belonged to countess Branitskaya. This was the place where young people got together, spent their evenings and danced. There was a brass band playing. It was an interesting community in this town.
Grandfather Kalman owned a mill near the church and was an independent and a well-to-do man. They had 18 children, only 9 of which survived - six daughters and three sons. He gave education to all of them. His daughters married successful businessmen. All children got Jewish education. Besides, students from Kiev gave them lessons at home. They studied all general subjects: literature, history and mathematics. Although their parents spoke Yiddish at home, the children spoke fluent Russian and Ukrainian. The sons took to business and the daughters married well-to-do Jews successfully.
My parents got married in Fastov in 1921. In 1923 their first child was born - my older brother Kalman (he was called Klim at home) Poliak.
My parents were at the Urals. At first they lived in the village of Bina and then moved to the town of Revda. There was a copper-smelting factory there. My father worked at it as an acountant until the end of the war.
My mother Sheindla Poliak died in 1959 in Kiev. Mamma could not live with the thought of Lyova's death, she ailed after the war and died soon. My father Iosif Poliak died in Kiev in 1971.
