ABSTRACT
My mother’s parents were both born and raised in Russia. They met when they were in their early twenties and were married in Odessa. My maternal grandfather, who owned a shoe factory, became a successful businessman, and his family enjoyed an affluent lifestyle for many years. Together they had five children: all boys, except for my mother who was the youngest child. The age difference between my mother and her brothers was two, five, seven, and twelve years.
