Yakov Driz's in the Ukrainian school

Sixth grade, Ukrainian school in Tomashpol. After I finished my 4th year at the Jewish school, I went to the Ukrainian school. There was no other Jewish institution in the area. The only Jewish colleges were either in Odessa or Birobijan. I am the third from the right in the upper row. I studied for four years in the Jewish school. Unfortunately, in 1937 my parents transferred me to the Ukrainian school. The majority of children from our school went there, too. There were no schools where we could continue our education in Yiddish. After attending a Jewish school, one had to enter Ukrainian or Russian higher educational institutions. At that time we didn't quite realize that it was the policy of our state to destroy the national priorities. I was successful at my Ukrainian school as well. Every pupil from the Jewish school spoke fluent Yiddish and Ukrainian. We had a benevolent reception at our new Ukrainian school. Half of the schoolchildren in our class were Jewish and the rest of them were Ukrainian from Tomashpol and the surrounding villages. Besides Jewish boys, I had Ukrainian boys as friends. I still have a Ukrainian friend from my childhood - Tolya Pokynchereda. He lives in Chernigov now.