It was only years later that the mystery was somewhat solved. One day I met the non-Jewish woman, Lilia, whom the KGB had interrogated. We were entering a tramway at the same time. By amazing divine providence, two of the KGB agents who had raided us that day were also entering the tram. We both recognized them and instinctively moved to the next compartment. This situation reminded us of the inordinately unpleasant day years back.

She asked, “Did you recognize the men who entered the first compartment?”

“Of course,” I replied.

“If so,” she said, “I will tell you what happened after they raided your factory. A few days later I was called down to the offices of the KGB. I was afraid to go, so they sent another summons. My husband had worked for the KGB in the past and made a good salary there but at a certain point he felt like the work was too demanding and that it was infringing on his family life. He decided to leave before they considered him a permanent employee, which would make it impossible for him to ever leave.

“I told my husband what had happened at your factory and about the summons I had received and asked him to find out what they wanted and what it had to do with me. After inquiring from his KGB pals, he told me that there was nothing to worry about. They would not do anything to me, and they just wanted to talk.

“I went to the KGB and to my surprise they took out thick files about each of you. They said to me, 'We know they are religious, but we want to ask you something else. Since you work in their central office, perhaps you know where they go on vacation?'

“I answered them truthfully that I knew nothing about any trips and to the best of my knowledge, even during vacation, they continued to work, receiving double salary according to the law.

"That’s all that I said to them, and they released me."

When I heard this, I finally understood, even if not completely. As I mentioned in earlier chapters of my memoirs, I occasionally traveled on various missions for the communal good.

Apparently, the KGB knew something about my trips but did not have precise information. That was why they asked the woman where I went. But she had no idea that I had occasionally left.

Our conclusion was that the KGB had sought to frighten us and that was why they organized the raid. This had not occurred under the rule of Stalin but rather during the rule of Khrushchev. During that time they did not arrest people based solely on suspicions, but rather employed scare tactics. This fear persisted until we eventually departed from the Soviet Union.