Balkin Khaim-Itzik (Chaim Itzik) Rafailovich (22.09.1925, Rēzekne) — electrical technician.

Khaim-Itzik Balkin was born into the family of Rafail Yakovlevich Balkin (1892, Rēzekne – 1943, Yelansk) and Dina Khaimovna Balkina (née Pliner) (b. 1903, Rēzekne).

He completed primary school in Rēzekne (1931–1937), studied at a vocational school in Riga (1938–1940), and finished the 7th grade in Rēzekne in 1941.

During World War II, Khaim-Itzik Balkin was evacuated to Yelansk, where he worked as a metalworker at an industrial plant (1941–1943). In 1943, he trained as a sniper cadet in Chelyabinsk and later became a cadet in the Independent Latvian Rifle Regiment (1943–1944, Gorky Oblast). He served as a gun crew commander in the 308th Latvian Rifle Division (1944–1945, 2nd Baltic Front) and was awarded the Medal “For Military Merit”, the Medal “For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945”, and several anniversary medals.

In 1946, Khaim-Itzik Balkin became secretary of the military tribunal of the 130th Latvian Rifle Corps in Riga, later working as a clerk in military tribunals (1946–1948, Riga) and military units (1948–1950, Baku, Riga).

Later, Khaim-Itzik Balkin worked as an electrician at:

  • The Riga Naval District KECh (1950–1951)

  • The Riga Tobacco Factory (1951–1966)

  • The Meat Processing Plant (1966–1976)

  • The Riga Industrial Association (1976–1979)

He was married to Tsilya Davidovna Balkina (née Levin) (b. 1928, Rēzekne), and in 1951, their son Lev Khaimovich Balkin was born in Riga.

In 1979, Khaim-Itzik Balkin received permission to emigrate to Israel, where his mother (Dina Khaimovna Balkina (née Pliner), b. 1903) had been living since 1972.

Family Members

  • Rafail Yakovlevich Balkin (1892–1943) — father

  • Dina Khaimovna Balkina (née Pliner) (b. 1903) — mother

  • Rebbeka Rafailovna Dmitrieva (née Balkina) (b. 1924, Rēzekne) — sister

  • Genya Rafailovna Feld (née Balkina) (1928, Rēzekne – 1969, Tel Aviv) — sister

  • Gita Rafailovna Balkina (1941, Rēzekne – 1956, Riga) — sister

  • Leya Rafailovna Steingold (née Balkina) (b. 1932, Rēzekne) — sister (lived in Israel from 1972)

  • Tsilya Davidovna Balkina (née Levin) (b. 1928) — wife

  • Lev Khaimovich Balkin (b. 1951) — son