Volshonok Elka Davidovna (1916)

Volshonok(Wolschenok) (née Maler) Elka Davidovna (b. 21 June 1916, Melitopol) – secretary-typist.

Elka Volshenok was the daughter of David Maler (b. 1873, Jēkabpils – d. 1942, Kirov Oblast) and Berta Maler (née Blumberg) (b. 1879, Kandava – d. 1969, Riga). In 1917, she moved to Latvia with her parents. In 1936, she graduated from secondary school in Jelgava. From 1937 to 1941, she worked as a secretary-typist at the Jelgava Credit and Savings Association.

In 1941, she was evacuated to Kirov Oblast. Until 1944, she worked as a caregiver at a boarding school relocated from Leningrad to the village of Beloe. In 1945, she returned to Riga. Until 1947, she worked as a passport clerk at the UPO (Local Passport Office). From 1948 to 1954, she was a secretary at the prosecutor’s office of Riga’s Proletarsky District. Between 1954 and 1963, she was a homemaker. In 1964–1965, she worked as a sorter at the Riga Electromechanical Plant. From 1965 onwards, she was employed as a goods receiver at the “Zvaigzne” factory.

Her first husband, Moisey Voloshonok (b. 1915, Riga – d. 1942), died heroically on the front during the II World War. In her second marriage to Moisey Evelson (b. 1905, Daugavpils – d. 1976, Riga), they had two children: David Evelson (b. 1947, Riga) and Liliana Vainshenker (née Evelson) (b. 1954, Riga).

Elka's sisters – Sarra Ravicher (née Maler) (b. 1910, Jelgava), Feiga Mandelkorn (née Maler) (b. 1911, Jelgava – d. 1976, Riga), and Leia Bank (née Maler) (b. 1922, Jelgava) – remained in Latvia during the post-war years.

In 1980, Elka Volshenok received permission to emigrate to Israel, invited by her cousin Racheli Ifrah (née Blumberg) (b. 1917, Jelgava), who had emigrated to Palestine in 1937.

Family:

Moisey Voloshonok (1915–1942) – first husband
Moisey Evelson (1905–1976) – second husband
David Evelson (b. 1947) – son
Liliana Vainshenker (née Evelson) (b. 1954) – daughter
David Maler (1873–1942) – father
Berta Maler (née Blumberg) (1879–1969) – mother
Sarra Ravicher (née Maler) (b. 1910) – sister
Feiga Mandelkorn (née Maler) (1911–1976) – sister
Leia Bank (née Maler) (b. 1922) – sister
Racheli Ifrah (née Blumberg) (b. 1917) – cousin