New Year’s eve with friends

This picture was taken on New Year’s eve in 1972. From the left, Ester Nahmiyas,Eti Kohen, me Zelda Ers, my sister-in-law Ester Ers, next to her Rasel Kohen , my husband Nesim Ers, my husband’s older brother Izak Ers, Moiz Kohen and Rafael Nahmiyas. Moiz Kohen Izak Ers and my husband Nesim passed away, the others are alive and all now live in Israel. Eti Kohen was about to leave for Israel when the picture was taken. She did not want to live here, she wanted to go to Israel. At the time there was the matter of the dowry, her father’s financial state was not good and the girl did not have confidence. "My father will not be able to marry me off easily here, because he does not have financial power. I will leave and take charge of my life” she said. In 1972 she was 18 years old. We got together on a new year’s eve to celebrate her leaving. Today whenever I go to Israel, I go to her house first. When we got married, we were friends with his older brother at first. His brother had 2 apartments, when I gave birth to my older son, we moved to one, they moved to the other. We had a very close relationship with them and the neighbors. In the meantime my husband bought a car, we had such wonderful days with that car. Our days passed with wonderful, sweet conversations, with songs, with strolls. My sister and brother-in-law were talented in vaudeville. Those laughters were life-affirming. Our husbands worked on Sundays too. We women had a great time, we would prepare tea, cakes, everything for our husbands when they came home. There was no financial discord among us. The in-laws were rich, we were so-so but we got along well. We lived in their apartment. Much later on, there appeared a lack of harmony among siblings. Things like I want to go to this place, I don't want to go to that place. My husband suggested taking a break and not socializing as friends so that the brotherhood would not be affected. After these events we had another circle of friends. We had lovely days and evenings with them also. We always went to the movies. I have a lot of friends. But I have a problem, they smoke a lot. Because I suffer from cardiac problems smoking bothers me quite a bit. I used to socialize a lot but I had to pull back. But I still see them but not as often as before. I couldn't live without friends.