Uriel Mavashev

From the Memoirs of Sveta (Mavasheva) Fuzailova – Sara’s Granddaughter, about her Father Uriel Mavashev

Dad – on December 17th, at around 5 in the morning, he left us. That night, it was snowing, and it seemed as if the earth was preparing a white shroud to welcome a pure and honorable man. It’s so hard to speak of him in the past tense – Dad loved, Dad walked, Dad did. It feels like just yesterday he was smiling with his unique smile that began with the mischievous glint in his kind eyes. Just yesterday, he was playing with his grandchildren, presiding over the Shabbat table, and thanking Mom for the beautifully set table. You know, in the dictionary, the word “Dad” doesn’t only mean a parent but also a protector, benefactor, source, and beginning. Our Dad was all of that to us.

He was an authority figure, a friend, and a big child with whom we could play all kinds of games.

I want to share a bit about our childhood. We loved Sundays when Mom and Dad would take a day of rest. While Mom was preparing breakfast in the kitchen, we would rush to play with Dad – we wrestled with him, listened to his stories, many of which he composed himself. The story of Masha and Dasha is known not only to us, his children, but also to his grandchildren and numerous cousins.

We were always proud of him. I remember at the May Day demonstration, he would point out well-known buildings in the city center and say he had participated in their design.

He instilled a love of reading in us, constantly bringing books from the wonderful library at his workplace. By his example, he showed us how to respect and value the people around us. His unwavering love and respect for relatives, neighbors, friends, and even strangers served as an example for us, his children, and many others who knew him.

Dad was 49 years old when we arrived in America. At that age, it’s very difficult to change, adapt, or adjust to new circumstances. But he never complained. He quickly found a job. Regardless of where or what he worked, the description was the same: an honest, trustworthy, and diligent person.

Dad was ill for many years, but many, even those very close to him, didn’t know about his ailments. He never spoke about his illness, continued working, and traveling. He knew how to find joy in every moment of life and always had a positive outlook. He was very gentle, shy, yet I was struck by his iron will in his fight against illness. Unfortunately, in this battle, he ultimately lost.

Photo: Sara Mavashev with her daughter Esther and her son Uriel family.

When speaking about Dad, it’s impossible not to mention his better half, his life partner – Mom. They spent 50 years together. Mom was his life force, the engine that helped him move forward. The fact that Dad was given two extra decades after the diagnosis is thanks to Mom. Dad lived a beautiful life, surrounded by care, love, children, and grandchildren. He had wonderful sisters and a brother living in San Diego. His sisters and brothers here in New York provided enormous support during this most difficult time.

Photo: Uriel and Roza Mavashev. Sara’s granddaughters Svetlana and Marina with uncle Rafael.

Dad was very fond of his sons-in-law. He genuinely rejoiced in their successes. He loved his daughters-in-law, who were also by our side during this time. Thank you very much!

You know, many people came up to me and said, “Talking about your Dad is so easy. There’s no need to make things up; the words come straight from the heart.”

From the Memoirs of Marina (Mavasheva) Abaev – Sara’s Granddaughter

My parents, Uriel (Yuri) Mavashev and Rosa Bababekova, met at a youth wedding at Boris and Olga Gulkarov’s house in 1964. They got married in 1966. Both my parents received higher education and became engineers. My dad was a design engineer, and my mom was a chemical engineer.

My sister, Svetlana, was born in 1968, and I was born in 1971. We grew up in a loving and carefree atmosphere. When my mom came home from work, she mainly took care of the house and kitchen, while my dad spent a lot of time with us, his little girls, reading us books and telling us life stories. Our parents tried to raise us in a secular spirit, taking us to theaters, resorts, and surrounding us with books. However, they also instilled in us the importance of knowing where we came from, maintaining our traditions, and passing them on to future generations. I remember how we used to go to our grandmothers to make matzah for Passover, or how my mom would whisper to me, “Today is Yom Kippur; try not to eat at school.” In short, our childhood was idyllic.

My sister graduated from school with a gold medal and entered the Tashkent Medical Institute without any financial assistance, which was often given to many to guarantee acceptance. I also finished school quite well and went to a medical school while we were preparing to move to the United States.

In 1988, my sister married Mikhail Fuzailov, and in 1989, they had a daughter, Elinochka.

In 1991, after the opening of the borders by Gorbachev, my parents and I immigrated to America. My sister and her family followed shortly. We settled in New York, while most of our family from my father’s side settled in San Diego.

The beginning in America was very challenging, especially for my parents. But soon, my mom found work in a hospital laboratory, and my dad initially worked at a bagel bakery, then became a cook at Ohel. After arriving in America, I met Alexander Abaev and got married to him at the end of 1991. At the same time, I went to college and trained to become a pharmacist, now working in a hospital.

My sister secured her right to work as a physician and has been practicing for many years.

In 1994, my first son, Jonathan, was born, and in 1996, my second, Samuel. We later had more additions to our family, and my sister had her youngest daughter, Rachel, in 2000. In 2006, my daughter, Danielle, was born.

Over the years in America, we experienced many beautiful moments, such as the birth of children and grandchildren for my parents, circumcisions, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, and Elinochka’s wedding to Mikhail Izrailov. We also faced many sad moments, including the deaths of our two grandfathers, my grandmother Sara, my father’s mother, and the deaths of our aunts, Esya and Tamara. Now, from my father’s side, we only have one uncle, Ariel, who lives in San Diego.

In a short span of life in the United States, my father developed a severe illness. All those years, he was under the care of the best doctors who gave him more than two decades. Throughout these years, Dad continued to be an active member of the community, worked, helped raise grandchildren, actively traveled, and lived a full life.

Photo: Beautiful family of Yuriy and Roza (Bababekov) Mavashev with children and grandchildren.

Unfortunately, the insidious disease took Dad from us on December 17, 2016. My parents lived a beautiful life, setting an example for us to follow. My dad knew how to find joy in the little things in life and understood what was essential. He never regretted our move to the United States. We all love this country very much. America gave us the opportunity to freely practice our religion, celebrate our holidays openly, read what we desire, obtain jobs without bribes, and send our children to universities where their acceptance depended on their knowledge, not bribes.

My dad and mom, and all my relatives, taught us by example that the traditions of the old world, such as continuing our Bukharian customs, holidays, and respect for our elders, should be in harmony with the new world where we now live. It’s now our task to maintain this delicate balance and pass on the relay to our children and grandchildren in the future.