Mina Neustadt

“Well, there it was fantastic. I assumed I was going there for six weeks, beginning in July, but then on the August 21 happened what happened. I felt very well in kibbutz. Actually, it was for the very first time I left my family, being a child who had always been very protected. I didn’t have a clue what real life was like. I went ‘out’ for the first time. Even there I was protected as they took care of me, since I didn’t know much. But then this thing happened, it was one big catastrophe and I didn’t know what to do. However, I was so lucky that in the nearby town of Hadera, a nice lady lived who was a good friend of my parents. She got married in Israel and my father was substituting her husband in Bratislava during the wedding ceremony. I used to visit this lady always at the end of the week for 2 – 3 days, Sabbath… They took very good care of me. But when the occupation began, I was receiving letters saying: ‘Please, return, stay… return, stay…’ Because back then my mom and dad didn’t know what would’ve been the best to do. Even my professor from conservatory told me to return and finish my last year. I studied music for five years, graduated, continued with post-secondary study. I had only one year left to complete my studies. She said: ’You can always return back!’ So this decision was still hin und her [back and forth], very unpleasant and I didn’t know how to decide.”