This photograph, taken in Leningrad in 1940, shows my older brother Mikhail. He studied at a Jewish school like me.

All subjects at school were taught in Yiddish. German and Russian were taught as foreign languages. I recollect school with great pleasure. Most of all I liked mathematics, and later I took a great interest in chess – it became my love forever.

I finished 7 classes of the Jewish school and then it was closed. I became a pupil in the 8th class at the Russian school. While I studied at the Jewish school, my friends were mainly Jews. At the Russian school I made new friends, not only Jews. Our favorite amusement was football. We played everywhere: in the street, at school. We used every free minute for that purpose.