Dear Rony,
Richard and I were touched by your story about finding your mother, Alma. Over the years we've taken in numerous children (ages 15 months to 19 years), usually for under a year at a time. They came from dysfunctional homes and needed the continuity, support and nurturing that Richard and I happen to be good at and available to provide (having successfully raised a large family). One young man has a story to rival yours, and with any luck he's got a bright future ahead.
I hope you're not offended by my sharing this information in my search to get Dmitriy assistance, but I feel it's the least I can do for his mother and as his surrogate mother. Thanks for listening to his story.
I hope you're having a great summer .
Best wishes,
Martha & Richard 8.7.213
We first met Dmitriy when he and his mother came to visit friends in our town. His mother Lyudmila was raised in Russia and trained as an artist-she was a sweet and charismatic person. Her parents are Jewish volcano scientists and her mother was from Israel. She's the most amazing artist I've ever known and she was painting for DreamWorks in NYC, as well as, numerous Jewish organizations, when we met. Dmitriy was born in Russia, but his father is Chinese. At first we heard his father was a defected rocket scientist , then a diplomat's son, but Dmitriy doesn't really know and has never met him. Dmitriy came to the US at the age of 4 or 5 for eye surgery and they stayed. We met him when he was about 7 and visiting friends in our town. He and his mother moved to our town shortly after to spend the summer and we got to know them well. Dmitriy spent many days with us when his mother was working, he was exuberant to be in the country and Richard taught him to ride a bike. When Fall came they moved to the coast of Maine, where there was more work and better schools. Just before Dmitriy's tenth birthday his mother got her first drivers license. She was living with a new boyfriend and driving his fast new car when she lost control of the car on a windy coastal road, killing herself and Dmitriy's best friend. Dmitriy was hospitalized and traumatized.
No family stepped up to take him, and so his mother's boyfriend adopted him. His new father is a high-end boat builder and was able to support him comfortably, but not in the most nurturing way. He had two young sons of his own that he never saw and we felt bad that he didn't help Dmitriy in many ways including his ability to continue to speak Russian. Our friends in town had a child his age that was his friend and so Dmitriy would come visit as he grew up. We felt his pain. As you can imagine he lost touch with his Russian, Chinese and Jewish roots and besides the emotional trauma, I think he always felt like he didn't fit in.
Fast forward to his senior year in high school when he dropped out after the first semester at a math/science boarding school. He came to live with us and got his diploma by working independently. Inspired by our kids he ventured on a long distance bicycle trip and then pursued an education in science at college. Just recently he told me his adopted father had gotten a phone call from his real father, but he didn't tell him for weeks and did not find out his address or contact information. He has many mixed emotions about his real father - one of the strongest being that he must have hurt his mother and so at this point he doesn't have much interest in knowing him. I will try to find out more information from his adopted father and his mother's Russian friends in NY to try to get the whole story and find out his name and any other information for Dmitriy.
Dmitriy is now 22 years old and has just graduated from college. While there he fell in love with a French exchange student and they are living with her parents in Chartres, France. He's taken up running and cooking and I think enjoying being part of a family. They've both been accepted for graduate school at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Dmitriy basically has no money and no real family support in his life. I think his adopted father thinks he's done enough for him (Dmitriy doesn't feel comfortable leaving his belongings there and even though his father makes a good living, Dmitriy's relegated to sleeping on a couch when he visits.) and his grandfather is still alive, but says he can't afford to help him either. Dmitriy is quite bright, personable and somewhat naïve. We see great potential in him and are so happy he's found someone to share his life and is for the first time in many years feeling at peace with himself. We stay in communication by email and phone, helping him edit his applications and advising him as needed. We've seen so many of the children we helped struggle to overcome their situation and fail, but Dmitriy is different and we hope the best for him.
If you feel at all inspired or interested in helping him in any way - as a mentor or to help him find funding in the Jewish community for his education, this is a kid who would be appreciative and worthy. I've often talked to him about traveling to Israel for the birthright trip, but I'm afraid he may be too old now. His adopted father always wanted him to work to earn money for his expenses instead of travel. Dmitriy is applying to the Rotary Club, here in the US, for a grant for his tuition, so I've included some of his writing, which might give you a sense of his personality and intelligence. I've encouraged him to defer a year if he doesn't have the tuition, so the world is still his oyster.
Martha & Richard
_______________________________________________________________________
Dear Rony,
Richard and I were touched by your story about finding your mother, Alma. Over the years we've taken in numerous children (ages 15 months to 19 years), usually for under a year at a time. They came from dysfunctional homes and needed the continuity, support and nurturing that Richard and I happen to be good at and available to provide (having successfully raised a large family). One young man has a story to rival yours, and with any luck he's got a bright future ahead.
I hope you're not offended by my sharing this information in my search to get Dmitriy assistance, but I feel it's the least I can do for his mother and as his surrogate mother. Thanks for listening to his story.
I hope you're having a great summer .
Best wishes,
Martha & Richard 8.7.213
 |
| Dmitriy and Auria |
We first met Dmitriy when he and his mother came to visit friends in our town. His mother Lyudmila was raised in Russia and trained as an artist-she was a sweet and charismatic person. Her parents are Jewish volcano scientists and her mother was from Israel. She's the most amazing artist I've ever known and she was painting for DreamWorks in NYC, as well as, numerous Jewish organizations, when we met. Dmitriy was born in Russia, but his father is Chinese. At first we heard his father was a defected rocket scientist , then a diplomat's son, but Dmitriy doesn't really know and has never met him. Dmitriy came to the US at the age of 4 or 5 for eye surgery and they stayed. We met him when he was about 7 and visiting friends in our town. He and his mother moved to our town shortly after to spend the summer and we got to know them well. Dmitriy spent many days with us when his mother was working, he was exuberant to be in the country and Richard taught him to ride a bike. When Fall came they moved to the coast of Maine, where there was more work and better schools. Just before Dmitriy's tenth birthday his mother got her first drivers license. She was living with a new boyfriend and driving his fast new car when she lost control of the car on a windy coastal road, killing herself and Dmitriy's best friend. Dmitriy was hospitalized and traumatized.
No family stepped up to take him, and so his mother's boyfriend adopted him. His new father is a high-end boat builder and was able to support him comfortably, but not in the most nurturing way. He had two young sons of his own that he never saw and we felt bad that he didn't help Dmitriy in many ways including his ability to continue to speak Russian. Our friends in town had a child his age that was his friend and so Dmitriy would come visit as he grew up. We felt his pain. As you can imagine he lost touch with his Russian, Chinese and Jewish roots and besides the emotional trauma, I think he always felt like he didn't fit in.
Fast forward to his senior year in high school when he dropped out after the first semester at a math/science boarding school. He came to live with us and got his diploma by working independently. Inspired by our kids he ventured on a long distance bicycle trip and then pursued an education in science at college. Just recently he told me his adopted father had gotten a phone call from his real father, but he didn't tell him for weeks and did not find out his address or contact information. He has many mixed emotions about his real father - one of the strongest being that he must have hurt his mother and so at this point he doesn't have much interest in knowing him. I will try to find out more information from his adopted father and his mother's Russian friends in NY to try to get the whole story and find out his name and any other information for Dmitriy.
Dmitriy is now 22 years old and has just graduated from college. While there he fell in love with a French exchange student and they are living with her parents in Chartres, France. He's taken up running and cooking and I think enjoying being part of a family. They've both been accepted for graduate school at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Dmitriy basically has no money and no real family support in his life. I think his adopted father thinks he's done enough for him (Dmitriy doesn't feel comfortable leaving his belongings there and even though his father makes a good living, Dmitriy's relegated to sleeping on a couch when he visits.) and his grandfather is still alive, but says he can't afford to help him either. Dmitriy is quite bright, personable and somewhat naïve. We see great potential in him and are so happy he's found someone to share his life and is for the first time in many years feeling at peace with himself. We stay in communication by email and phone, helping him edit his applications and advising him as needed. We've seen so many of the children we helped struggle to overcome their situation and fail, but Dmitriy is different and we hope the best for him.
If you feel at all inspired or interested in helping him in any way - as a mentor or to help him find funding in the Jewish community for his education, this is a kid who would be appreciative and worthy. I've often talked to him about traveling to Israel for the birthright trip, but I'm afraid he may be too old now. His adopted father always wanted him to work to earn money for his expenses instead of travel. Dmitriy is applying to the Rotary Club, here in the US, for a grant for his tuition, so I've included some of his writing, which might give you a sense of his personality and intelligence. I've encouraged him to defer a year if he doesn't have the tuition, so the world is still his oyster.
_______________________________________________________________________
Dear Rony,
Here is the only photo I have of Alma.
Madame Ana Roje was a Yugoslavian dancer who performed with "Ballet Russe" and other companies. She had a school in Boston in Copley Square for several years. We were ca 8 of us who hung out together. Most of us took many classes each day dancing for around 6+ hours a day. For all of us it was our life.
We would go to "Bickfords", a cafeteria in the neighborhood for coffee or tea after classes where Alma sometimes shared her poetry with us. She wrote a lot of poetry and had a way with words, being both intelligent and articulate. (My observation :) )
I started there in 1964 and by the time I left Madame's for Boston School of Ballet, Alma had left. I recently found out from one of "our group" that Alma went to Madame Roje's school in Bermuda and taught there for Madame. I don't know for how long.
Those were wonderful days. Alma was a good dancer and I think here first love was more modern dance than ballet. But in those days modern dance required ballet training. I did take a few classes with Alma when she taught for Madame. Alma was an excellent teacher. I really wish that I could have kept in touch with her. Not easy with Alma, she was much the loner.
I sent an email to Rilla, from the old days who I believe is now teaching with Steffi Moy, South of Boston. I also asked Rilla if she might have some old photos of Alma from those days. I also contacted another friend, Suzanne and also asked her. So I will have to wait and see what happens.
I don't know much about Alma's childhood except that I don't think it was a very happy one. There were problems with her father, but she never shared what kind of problems.
Take care and Warm regards,
Lisi
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| I don't remember all their names, but 2nd from Left is Madame Roje. Alma is on the far right . In front of her is Nina Pillar who joined Boston Ballet. The "rule" in class was that the best dancers would lead the exercises at the barre and it was usually Alma or Nina in front. The Front being next to the pianist |
קצה חוט
אני מכיר מקרוב את ראשיתו של הסיפור "מצאתי את אמא שלי ב-Google" , כי בעת שאלמה שוורץ הגיעה לזיקים הייתי מזכיר הקיבוץ. היא לא העלימה את הריונה, ביקשה רק לשהות אצלנו כל עוד היא מסוגלת לעבוד, ולקראת הלידה התכוונה להתמקם בעיר (דבר שלא קרה בפועל ואלמה נשארה לאחר הלידה בקיבוץ זיקים כחצי שנה ואז חזרה לארה"ב להמשך עיסוקה במחול - ר.א.). המקרה גרם להרמת גבות בקיבוץ, בייחוד כשנודע שאבי התינוק הנו גרמני ועוד "סוכן קומוניסטי". אבל הצלחתי להשיג אישור לארחה, ומהר מאוד היא התחבבה על החברים, וכמובן שזכתה לכל הטיפול וההטבות שמצבה דרש (לרבות "דיאטת הריון"), והאחות שלנו, אורה ליוותה אותה ללידה.
אלמה הבהירה מראש שתמסור את התינוק לאימוץ, ולאחר הלידה אכן עשתה זאת וכעבור זמן קצר עזבה (על פי יומנה של אלמה מאותה התקופה ההחלטה על מסירת התינוק לאימוץ היתה גם בעקבות השפעת חלק מחברי הקיבוץ ובעקבות החלטת מזכירות הקיבוץ שפרץ עמד בראשה. לאחר חצי שנה נוספת בקיבוץ עזבה - ר.א.). היא שמרה על קשר עם חברה אחת בת גילה (יונה ודויד), וכך נודעו לנו פרטים על המשך חייה. אני שמח בשמחתו של רוני אפשטין על שהצליח לאתר את אימו, חבל שנאלץ לעבור דרך פתלתלה, אילו התחיל את החיפוש בזיקים, היה מקצר בהרבה את החיפוש.
פרץ קדרון, ירושלים 2007.
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| קציר בשדות קיבוץ זיקים 1961 - גלויה שאלמה נתנה לי בחורף 2008 |
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| אלמה בצילום בחוף קיסריה, ספטמבר 1961, מיד לאחר הלידה. התמונה צולמה במהלך טיול בישראל אותו ערכו אלמה ואביה אדוארד שבא לבקרה בקיבוץ זיקים יומיים לאחר הלידה |
פרץ קדרון נולד בווינה בשנת 1933, ועבר עם משפחתו לאנגליה חודשים אחדים לאחר כיבוש אוסטריה על-ידי הנאצים. עם סיום לימודיו בבית-הספר התיכון עלה לישראל, במשך עשרים שנה היה חבר קיבוץ זיקים. מאז 1974 חי בירושלים עד מותו בשנת 2011. פרקץ קדרון עבד כמתרגם, עיתונאי ופרשן רדיו עצמאי. קדרון, שהיה סרבן במילואים, הוא חבר בקבוצות הפועלות נגד הכיבוש ובעד זכויות-האדם, פעיל ב'יש גבול', ומטפל בקשרים הבינלאומיים של הקבוצה והכיר אישית את אלמה יורה בתקופה שהיה מזכיר קיבוץ זיקים ואלמה היתה מתנדבת צעירה בקיבוץ.
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| פרץ קדרון, מזכיר קיבוץ זיקים 1961 - Peretz Kidron |
Articles about Alma in the Times Record
Alma Yoray, PRZESIEKA, Poland — formerly of Bath, Maine, died in her adoptive country of Poland on October 18, 2010.
לסיפור המלא... _______________________________________________________________________
משחק לילה / עטרה צחור
הקמתי קבוצה בפייסבוק אשר מטרתה לקשר ולאגד חזרה את ילדי אותה שכונה חמה וקסומה בשם "וילות רסקו", "שיכון ארבעים" או "נווה עופר" באר שבע. בעיקר את אשר גדלו והתבגרו בה בשנות ה- 70 וה- 80.
לסיפור המלא...
_______________________________________________________________________
שלמה כ"ץ / ישראל
יש אתר GENI שבו אנו מנהלים עץ משפחה (אגב, גם שמך מופיע שם).
עדי מלקט באינטרנט ,בבית התפוצות ,ביד ושם ובאתרים שונים סביב העולם כל פיסת מידע על המשפחה... שלמה כ"ץ
לסיפור המלא... _______________________________________________________________________
ארלין סמואלס / ישראל
first_name : ארלין
last_name : סמואלס
email : arlkar2@013.net
phone : 04-9882130 / 0546-550853
subject : גם לי יש סיפור
message : לרוני שלום רב
לסיפור המלא... _______________________________________________________________________
מיכל נקש / ישראל
אני ילדה מאומצת.
אומצתי בגיל מס' שבועות על ידי זוג הורים מדהימים, שמאוחר יותר אימצו לי אח מברזיל. במהלך השנים התלבטתי אם לפתוח את תיק האימוץ ולגלות את האמת על נסיבות מסירתי לאימוץ ולבסוף החלטתי לעשות כן.
לסיפור המלא... _______________________________________________________________________
Hana Schwartz
בגיל 11 סבתא שלי ספרה לי במונית בדרך הבייתה מבר מצווה של קרוב משפחה רחוק ששני הילדים שאני כל הזמן שואלת עליהם, הם האחים שלך...
לסיפור המלא...
_______________________________________________________________________
Kris Drumm
Kris Drumm gave up her little girl, but not her love for her
בשנות השבעים כריס היתה עלמה בת 19 כשהרתה לארוסה, שעזב אותה כשנודע לו שהיא הרה. משפחתה התנכרה לה ואת חודשי ההריון האחרונים העבירה בהוסטל של צבא הישע.
לסיפור המלא... _______________________________________________________________________
עלית / ישראל
שמי עלית - הורי החליטו לאמץ אחרי שנולדה להם בת והיו להם הריונות מחוץ לרחם והם לא יכלו להכנס להריון שוב. הם חיכו שנתיים, שזה לא הרבה לפי מה שהבנתי. אני הייתי חודשיים באינקובטור נולדתי קילו מאה, והייתי קרחת עד אחרי גיל שנה.
בגיל 3 באתי לחדר של ההורים ואמא שלי הושיבה אותי וסיפרה לי סיפור על ילדה שגדלה אצל זאבים ודרך זה הסבירה לי שאני מאומצת...
לסיפור המלא...
_______________________________________________________________________
פגישה ראשונה של אם ביולוגית / מאמא - סאן
טלפון מהשרות, תיק האימוץ נפתח, שואלים אם אני מעונינת בפגישה, מעונינת? שלשה עשורים אני ממתינה ליום המיוחל הזה, מישהו נעתר שם לתפילותי ? תחושות האין אונות, והחידלון, מתחלפות בין רגע, באושר עילאי, האכזבה הופכת לתקוה, והיאוש, לאמונה גדולה.
לסיפור המלא...