This is a photograph of our family. I'm to the right of the tree. Standing beside me is my older daughter, Eva. The first on the right is my wife. The woman holding the baby is my youngest daughter, Zita. The baby is my youngest great-grandchild, Evelinka. Beside the young man in the yellow shirt is my granddaughter Natasha. In the bottom row, first on the right, is my daughter Silvia. Beside her is my grandson Alexander. The picture was taken in Mukachevo in the 1990's.
I didn't bring up my children as Jews. Judaism is inherited from the mother. Because the mother of my children is a Christian of Hungarian origin, she brought up the children as Christians. To tell the truth, I didn't even want them to be brought up as Jews. They know I'm a Jew, my wife's parents knew it as well. In fact, that's why they also agreed to their daughter being married in a civil ceremony, because I'm a Jew. But I've always observed my religion and my family supported me in it. My wife always prepared what I asked her to. When I was fasting, they let me be. They respected my faith and do so to this day. Actually, before our wedding my wife used to go to a Roman Catholic church. When she married me, the stopped going. She did still celebrate Easter and Christmas, but she didn't go to church, and neither did our daughters. Nobody. Out of our entire family I'm the only one that goes to synagogue.
