Roman Janashvili

The eldest son, Zhenya, was the first to arrive in Israel, coming alone on a student programme. Zhenya recounts that when they flew in to visit him, she was simply terrified: the boy was struggling immensely — with no apartment and no means to live... And she realised she could not go back. So she stayed in Israel with just one suitcase and two children.

Of course, people helped, and she got her citizenship, but it was very hard. She sent her eldest to Israel very consciously, as six years ago such chaos was happening in Georgia...

— The eldest was studying medicine, and I trembled every time I waited for him to come back from university. In Tbilisi, Jewish children were being kidnapped, ransoms were demanded... But when we got here, even though we had little money, at least I didn't worry about the boys — they studied well and received help...

Roma went to "Amal" school, worked three days and studied three days — he was tired, of course, but he never showed it, always cheerful. That's why everyone loved him — both the kids and the teachers... He was always joking. I would say: "Roma, how can you, we weren't raised like this." He smiled: "Mum, they love me, they will never be upset." I was so calm knowing he had good friends. If there were any problems with the kids, their parents would call him: "Roma, help us." Yesterday at the cemetery, the boys said: "We loved him so much, first his mum, then him..." Why did they love him so much? Maybe that's why he left?..

Zhenya knows that there is no answer to her question and there never will be; she tries to talk about her grief, but it only makes it hurt more.

— How happy I was to be a happy mum! I told everyone that in such a difficult time, I protected my children from drug addiction and all sorts of nastiness. The eldest boy was so dedicated, he didn't leave the house for four months, but he got into university, studying biology and doing so well... I kept telling Roma: "You're such a smart boy, why do you need this craft?" He reassured me: "What are you talking about, Mum, I'll manage, I'll study!" They didn't let him study. This Arab chose my son — the tallest, broad-shouldered, handsome boy. He hid behind him. Roma's heart was torn out. He has no ribcage...

Zhenya recounts that the day before, on Thursday, Roma stayed at school for a rehearsal.

— They were preparing a play for the school evening, and Roma was laughing: "Mum, I have four roles in one play, just keep changing costumes." When he got home, he didn't even eat, he ran off to help a classmate. There's a boy studying with them, a Bulgarian, who had problems with Hebrew, he didn't pass the exam. They studied all night, then went to school. He came back and said: "I got 85 on the exam." We were so happy... What happened next? We bought something for the household, Roma prepared candles for Shabbat — he always prepared them, and I would light them in the evening. Then he asked: "Mum, make me a mask, there's something silly on my face from the heat." He never asked for anything, but this time... "I want to be beautiful," he said.

In the evening, his friend Ilyusha came over, Roma kissed me so affectionately... They left, I fell asleep, and then my eldest son woke me: "Mum, there's an explosion!" I tried to call on the phone — no answer. We turned on the TV, and there was such chaos! I panicked and kept calling, but there was "lo zamin". We went to the hospitals with Ilyusha's parents. He wasn't on the lists, I was so relieved, but Larisa, Ilyusha's mum, started crying. "Why are you crying, I said, he's not on the lists, that means he's alive." Until morning, they didn't tell us anything, and then I saw they weren't leaving me, exchanging glances. I understood everything. I called my cousin brother — Eli Ragimov, I couldn't go to Abu Kabir alone. How he cried with me! He said: "Remember, Zhenya, I told you: you don't have to worry about Roma, you raised good children, you protected them from all that is bad." From everything, except for death.

On the first of June, Roma turned exactly twenty and a half. On his last birthday, friends brought a huge bouquet of flowers to Roma's mum. "This is for you, Aunt Zhenya, your Roma is such a good boy..." Zhenya dried the bouquet, it stands in a large beautiful vase next to a photo of the smiling boy who is no longer here.

Lina Klebanova. Special Edition of "Vesti"