Bernshtam (Bernstam)(Simson, Wasserman) Khaya-Bluma Simanovna (15 September 1912, Ventspils) – saleswoman

In 1927, Khaya-Bluma Bernshtam graduated from Tukums City Primary School. From 1927 to 1934, she worked as a saleswoman in a shoe store in Tukums. In 1934, she moved to Riga, where she continued working as a saleswoman in shoe stores until 1941. That year, she was evacuated to Stalinabad, Tajik SSR, where she worked as a security guard at the Stalinabad Opera and Ballet Theater until 1945.

Upon returning to Riga in 1945, Khaya- Bluma Bernshtam worked as a saleswoman in a small-scale retail base until 1947. From 1947, she continued working as a saleswoman in various businesses: a cooperative store in Majori, Riga Catering Trust, Riga Brewery No. 1 kiosk, and the “Ausma” artel, as well as enterprises under Latpromkooporg and Riga City Industrial Trade.

Khaya-Bluma was first married to Wulf Wasserman (1905, Utena, Lithuania – …, World War II front), with whom she had a son, David Wasserman (1939, Riga). Later, she married Ekhiel (Yekhiel, Yeosil) Bernshtam (1912, Bauska).

Her parents, Simon Simson (1878, Tukums – 1941(?)) and Dvora Simson (1880, Tukums – 1941(?)), as well as her siblings Hana Simson (1921, Tukums – 1941(?)), Yudit Simson (1924, Tukums – 1941(?)), and Abram Simson (1927, Tukums – 1941(?)), perished in the Holocaust. Her brother Solomon Simson (1918, Minsk) lived and worked in Riga in the 1960s.

In 1966, Khaya-Bluma Bernshtam received permission to emigrate to Israel at the invitation of her husband's sisters, Anna Shumakh (Bernshtam) (1916, Bauska) and Rakhil Kitay (Bernshtam) (1919, Penza).

Family Members:

Ekhiel (Yekhiel, Yeosil) Bernshtam (1912, Bauska) – second husband
Wulf Wasserman (1905, Utena, Lithuania – …) – first husband
David Wasserman (1939, Riga) – son
Simon Simson (1878, Tukums – 1941(?)) – father
Dvora Simson (1880, Tukums – 1941(?)) – mother
Solomon Simson (1918, Minsk) – brother
Hana Simson (1921, Tukums – 1941(?)) – sister
Yudit Simson (1924, Tukums – 1941(?)) – sister
Abram Simson (1927, Tukums – 1941(?)) – brother
Anna Shumakh (Bernshtam) (1916, Bauska) – husband's sister
Rakhil Kitay (Bernshtam) (1919, Penza) – husband's sister