 Shunya akazonzi Alexander Gelman akaberekerwa muDonduşeni zvino muMoldova, musha weBessarabian uyo wakanga uri chikamu cheHumambo hweRussia usati wadzoserwa kuRomania panguva yeHondo yeVanhu veRussia uye Soviet annexation muna 1940. Vabereki vake vaiva Isaak Davydovich Gelman 1904-1981 naManya Shayevna Gelman 1910-1942. Pashure pokurwiswa kweSoviet Union nevaNazi muna 1941Muna 1944, mauto eGermany akapinza mhuri yaGelmann muBershad ghetto muTransnistria, uko amai vake vakafira. Alexander Gelman bedzi nababa vake pamitezo 14 yakadzingwa vakapukunyuka kufamba kworufu pavakasiya musasa pedyo nomugumo wehondo. 