בימים ההם: מיינע זכרונות פון דער אלטער היים

One should read this article just to get some perspective on how a Bar Mitzva was celebrated in those days by R' Haishke Dubrawski compared to the Bar Mitzva celebrations of today that are considered de riguer. Sad that a short year later his father died and he no longer had to share the Tfillin with him.

I had no idea that conditions were so bad even in Samarkand. His two sistes pictured on the right of the photo died two years later from hunger. I am assuming it was the winter of '42.

Lots and lots of other Anash buried family members in Samarkand and Tashkent. Ask your local elder.

I don't have to go too far.