Family synagogues such as this one were built at a time when it was forbidden for Jews to build freestanding synagogues, so Jewish families utilized the central salon in their home for prayer, serving their families and neighbors. During the Communist era, the Hebrew inscriptions on the walls were often whitewashed but I arrived to photograph this scene just after the collapse of the Soviet Union and after a period of liberalization. Jewish families were contemplating their futures and most were planning on leaving.
Here I have photographed the Rubinov family in their festive wedding garments, as they requested, with their granddaughter. The bridal wedding portrait hangs on the wall to the right.
