Portnoy Pinkhus (Pinchus) Gershonovich (b. 24 August 1930, Daugavpils) — shoe cutter.
Pinkhus Portnoy was the son of Polish citizens Gershon Portnoy (1891, Poland — 1943, corrective labour camp) and Yudif Portnaya (1901, Poland — 1956). In 1941, Pinkhus, together with his parents, brother Ber Portnoy (1923, Daugavpils), and sister Khena Hertzberg (née Portnaya) (1934, Riga), was deported from Latvia: Pinkhus’s father was a major trader in bicycles and furs with an annual business turnover exceeding 243,000 lats and also the owner of a large horticultural enterprise. His father died in a corrective labour camp.
In 1946, Pinkhus Portnoy returned to Riga. In 1948, he graduated from Vocational School No. 13. Until 1950, he worked as a supervisor in the Riga telephone network. In 1950–1953, he served in the ranks of the Soviet Army.
In 1953–1965, he worked as a shoe cutter at the “Spars” combine, at the Riga City Executive Committee combine, and at the “1 May” factory. In 1965–1966, he was Deputy Head of the shoe-cutting department at the production association “Pirmais Maijs”. In 1966–1970, he served as Deputy Director for training and production at Vocational Technical School No. 41 in Riga. In 1970–1973, he was Director of Riga Vocational Technical School No. 41.
In 1959, Pinkhus Portnoy completed the 7th grade at Riga Evening School No. 5. In 1964, he graduated from the evening department of the Technical School of Light Industry. In 1970, he completed by correspondence the Faculty of Economics of the Latvian State University. Member of the CPSU in 1963–1973.
In marriage with Ester Portnaya (née Slivkina) (1931, Daugavpils), daughters Mary Portnaya (1956, Daugavpils) and Lina Portnaya (1963, Riga) were born. In 1973, Pinkhus Portnoy received permission to emigrate to Israel at the invitation of his brother and sister.
Family:
Ester Portnaya (née Slivkina) (1931, Daugavpils) — wife
Mary Portnaya (1956, Daugavpils) — daughter
Lina Portnaya (1963, Riga) — daughter
Gershon Portnoy (1891, Poland — 1943) — father
Yudif Portnaya (1901, Poland — 1956) — mother
Ber Portnoy (1923, Daugavpils) — brother
Khena Hertzberg (née Portnaya) (1934, Riga) — sister