#4 ~ 1964 -1970 ~ Teenage years

Back to the Beginning
Previous: 1961-1964 ~ School Years

As I was getting older, I saw things that were hard to explain.
One day in the 6th grade we went to the city library that was  much bigger and better then our school library. When we stopped by the front desk, we were asked to fill out the library card. One of the questions was: your nationality. I looked over my friend's shoulder and wrote: "Ukrainian" just like she did. After all, we lived in Ukraine. But when the librarian took my card, she looked at me and said: "No, honey, you are a Jew". I could not understand how am I different from my friends: we speak the same language, go to the same school, eat the same food... But apparently, I was different.

At the age of 16, every citizen must receive the passport. And it's not a passport that we have here, in the USA... It's your ID. It has your name, date of birth and the 5th line is your nationality. I was so desperate, and wanted so much to be just like my friends, and not being Jewish! My father had "Russian" written in his passport ( it's a long story how he became Yuri instead of Isak, "Russian and not Jewish). So, here I am: 16 year old girl, equipped with my Dad's passport, walked into the office and said :"I am here to apply for my passport". The clerk looked at my application and said: "I know your family. You are Jewish and your father's name is Isak". I was stunned, upset and angry! But there was nothing I could do.

Photo for the Passport

    My best friend in school was Olga. I would go to her house very often to do homework together, play, or just "hang out". I was so surprised that they always had meat, fresh fruit, butter. They had 3 big rooms, telephone and even refrigerator! When I questioned my Mom about it, she said:"Olga's father is important, he works for the Government. So please, DO NOT ask any questions!" 

But I still could not understand, could not agree.

Movies were often the "windows into the world". We especially loved foreign movies. Some of my favorites were "Funny Girl", "Sound of music", "Man and a woman". When we watched the movie, most of the time it was NOT the plot or great actors that fascinated us. What was incredible is that even "regular" people (not just in Government) had apartments, cars, beautiful clothes, food, gum, Coca-Cola (Oh, how we dreamed of tasting Coca-Cola!!!), and people could just move from one place to another without any problems or asking for permission. For us to move from one city to another was close to impossible. Can't even dream of visiting another country.

Bit still, I was a very good student in school, was very successful in gymnastics, and in 9th grade I started character dancing, which was fun, exciting and dynamic. I loved performing, loved costumes and of course being the youngest member of the group - all the attention...
 

                       

                                       May 1969 ~ Marina Davidovich performing in                                the Central theater, Vinnitza, Ukraine.
                        

Next: 1970 ~ High School