Website search

LIFE AND ITS HARDSHIPS

Iosif Raihman
with sister Tema.

Dvoira and Pinia Raihman’s children.

Pinia and Dvoira Raihman.

I am 87 years old. I was born in a place called Bayevo. This is the place where my mother, Nihama Gamsheyevna Golubkina, was born. Her parents – father Gamshey Vulfovich Golubkin and Mata Naumovna Golubkina (Nahvina) also originated from there. Grandparents had seven children: Nihama, Iosef, Beylia, Abel, Golda, Nison and Yelena.

My father’s parents’ names were Dvoira and Pinia Raihman. They had six children: four boys – Iosef, Aba, Neyeh, Benyamin and two daughters – Tema and Beyla.

Galina, Liubov
and Vladimir Raihman,
Dubrovno, 1934.

My parents had three children: two daughters – Galina and Lubov, and son Vladimir.

My brother Vladimir graduated from a secondary school in Dubrovno. His wife was a teacher. Since 1990 he has been living in Nahariya, Isarel, with his family.

Former monastery in Dubrovno.

The first conference of journalists, Dubrovno, 1930.
Iosif Raihman 3^rd on the right.

I, together with my son Alexander, daughter-in-law and their two children, immigrated to Israel in 1990 as well.

My uncle Aba had four children: Grigory, Lenia, Mulia and Yakov. Aba participated in World War I. Before the Great Patriotic war he became ill with tuberculosis. He was sent to a health resort for treatment. He died on his way back home from the resort. He was buried in Moscow. His wife was also buried in Moscow.

Iosif Raihman, Nihama Raihman (Golubkina)
with children and grandchildren.

My father Iosef used to work as a tailor in Dubrovno, and then became a militiaman in Gorky, Mogilev region, in 1921. He was wounded once while at work and had to spend eight months in hospital. After that he returned to Dubrovno and worked as a weaver. Before the war he worked as deputy head of trade department at Dubrovno regional council.

First grade of Jewish secondary school No. 2 in Dubrovno.
School graduates on June 18^th 1941.
First top row: D. Kuziner, I. Slepak, ---, B. Elkina, M. Heifetz,
M. Taptunov, H. Minkina. 2^nd row: L. Kozlovskaya, M. Vinz,
teacher M. Farber, M. Raitzin, S Moiseyeva;
3rd row: --- R. Vintz, Raitzina, M. Polina, Porin, G. Raihman;
4th row (on the left) Gozdanker, Bulahovich, M. Avtzin.

Pioneer camp in Dubrovno, 1939.
Top and bottom rows – students of former Jewish school No. 2.

On July 19th 1941 father was told to leave the town. He was given a horse and thus he picked us up and we set off on our war journey. We soon reached the station of Sarbai and settled in a village. Father, sister and brother started working on a collective farm. One of the local families gave us shelter and so we lived in the new place.

In 1946 father came back to his place of birth, Dubrovno, and worked there taking different jobs.

Family of Mata Naphina (Golubkina).

My mother’s parents Mata Golubkina and Gamshey Vulfovich had seven children: three sons and four daughters Nihama, Beylia, Golda and Lena. Gamshey did not like being photographed, so there is no photo of him.

Neyeh Raihman.

Grigory Raihman.

Leonid Raihman.

Samuil Raihman, 1942.

My mother Nihama Golubkina died in Dubrovno.

Aron Mekler with wife Golda
and children.

Liubov Mekler.

Our town had two schools – a Belarusian and a Jewish one. I enjoyed studying, loved our teachers and had a lot of friends. I remember my sister Luba’s teacher Rachil. My sister studied in the first grade of the Jewish school. I was three years old. Our family was not rich. Our grandparents bought a barn for our parents, who built a house from the barn wood. At that time the house did not have a roof, and my parents used to send me to school together with the sister. Teacher Rachil often gave me some bread and tea, to keep me warm after the walk. I stayed at the school until the lessons finished. I was often given pencils to draw. All the students in the class were Jewish. In the ninth grade two Russian students joined the class, but nobody ever raised the question of nationality.

Galina Raihman (Popova) with husband.

I know little about the fate of my classmates. My close school friend (we were in love) was shot by Germans. His name was Avtsin Nisan. The following people from our class survived: Meyer Farber, Aron Hazanovich and Lisa Kozlovskaya, Basia Elkina, Musia Polina and Sasha Porin.

Galina Raihman with children and grandchildren.

I’ve had a long life, which had its happy and sad events. I can say I am a happy person. I am now living in Israel with my son and his family. I have affectionate grandchildren, who I truly love. I also have kind and caring great grandchildren, who I am proud of. My life is my family. I have a lot of relatives and friends living here in Israel. I am genuinely grateful to them for their warmth and understanding.

Galina Iosifovna Popova (Raihman)

Jewish settlements in Vitebsk region

Vitebsk • Albrehtovo • Babinovichi • Baran • Bayevo • Begoml • Beshenkovichi • Bocheikovo • Bogushevsk • Borkovichi • Braslav • Bychiha • Chashniki • Disna • Dobromysli • Dokshitsy • Druya • Dubrovno • Glubokoye • Gorodok • Kamen • Kohanovo • Kolyshki • Kopys • Krasnopolie • Kublichi • Lepel • Liady • Liozno • Lukoml • Luzhki • Lyntupy • Miory • Obol • Oboltsy • Orsha • Osintorf • Ostrovno • Parafianovo • Plissa • Polotsk • Prozorki • Senno • Sharkovshina • Shumilino • Sirotino • Slaveni• Smolyany • Surazh • Tolochin • Ulla • Verhnedvinsk • Vidzy • Volyntsy • Yanovichi • Yezerishe • Zhary • Ziabki •

Main

New publications

Contacts

Site map

Vitebsk region

Mogilev region

Minsk region