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Family Is All That Matters 18 of serfdom, in which nobles had absolute rule over the land and its occupants, had been abolished by Tzar Aleksander II in 1861. The emancipation, however, didn't bring any significant change in the condition of the peasants. As Russia became more industrialized, grew in size, and became more complicated, the inadequacies of autocratic tzarist rule became increasingly apparent. By the 20th century, conditions were ripe for a serious revision. In 1917, the same year as Shlomo and Hava's marriage, the Russian Revolution began. Owning private property became a crime. Entrepreneurs like the Volsuns were seen as enemies of the people, oppressors of the working class. Almost everything in the hands of private parties, especially Jews, was either confiscated by the state or destroyed. High- minded rhetoric about socialism, the "rights of the working people," and the historical inevitability of the communist revolution accompanied this redistribution of wealth, but it was really nothing more than the by the state. Shlomo always believed that the Soviet Union would collapse, a victim of its own contradictions, and 92 years later, in 1989, he was proven right. Even though it was too late for him to witness what he predicted as an inevitable result, most of his children survived to see the Soviet Union crumble. Gorodok had the advantage of being far enough away om Moscow that most destructive policies were delayed. In relative peace and prosperity, Shlomo and Hava started a family three years aer their marriage. As was the usual practice, all the children were born at home with the assistance of a midwife. Ida was born first, in 1920. Rosa came one year later and Iosif arrived three years aer that. Shmuel, who died tragically at age 4, must have been born in 1926. In 1928 came Inna, and three years later, Manya. From the beginning of their union, Hava worked in the Volsun family business. Her common sense and discipline were soon obvious. Together she and Shlomo worked tirelessly to expand the businesses, building the big addition on the back that housed the family and the bakery. By that time Shlomo's mother, Inda, was very old and able to do less work. Hava eagerly took on more. While Shlomo supervised the stores and related businesses, Hava managed the bakery and restaurant. She supervised the cooks who worked with her every Friday to bake bagels, cookies, and endless quantities of braided Jewish challah bread in a wood-fired oven for Shabbat. These baked goods were consumed by the patrons of the restaurant as well as the Volsun family. Hava was particularly renowned for her kosher gefilte fish. People came om miles away on Fridays to buy her version of the traditional poached fish cakes. The Volsuns' business included a delivery Below: Birth certificate No.2816912 written in both Russian and Ukrainian. Volsun (last name) Iosif Shlemovich born on July 13, 1924, which was recorded in the Register of Births. Father - Volsun Shlomo Shmulievich. Mother - Volsun Khava Iosifovna. Place of Birth - Town of Gorodok, Kamenets - Podolsk Region. Facing page: Iosif Volsun in Graiding, Ukraine, 1924.

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