Miriam. Between two peaces

Victoria Usova

Miriam. Between two peaces

Introduction

Early summer of one thousand nine hundred and forty-one.

The sun generously shone on the fields, forests, rivers. Wheat, rye and barley were blooming in the fields.

The first strawberries and honeysuckles were appearing in the forests, and blueberries were ripening in the pine undergrowth. The thrushes sang their flute-like songs, the melodious song of the robin sounded in the undergrowth. The whistle of the oriole and the active singing of the warbler were heard, the ringing trills of goldfinches on the edges of the forests. The first fruits of cherry, plum and apple trees were set. A summer thunderstorm refreshed the air. Enjoying the first days of school holidays, children laughed carefree, swimming in the rivers. Schoolchildren of the final grades were preparing to enter institutes.

Chapter One. Miriam's Pregnancy

Miriam was pregnant with her second son. Miriam belonged to a large family of eight children, parents Srulik and Shifra and was the eldest daughter. The whole family knew and spoke Yiddish. Her grandfather Yakov was a religious Ashkenazi rabbi who observed kosher, Shabbat and holidays.

He was said to be a righteous and righteous man. In Yiddish “a tsdik, a guter mentsh”, ”צדיק אַ גוטער מענטש”.

The eldest son Yuri was growing up. Yuri was born in 1938. Curly black hair, a long nose, regular facial features. A cotton checkered shirt and brown breeches with high golf socks, suspenders. Basic everyday clothes worn by boys in the pre-war period. For the winter, Miriam knitted socks, mittens, vests, and scarves for all members of the family using natural wool and cotton needles.