Ferenc Deutsch's siblings

Me and my siblings. In the back is me, on the left is Juliska, next to her the boy is Pista, in the front sits Bela, next to him is Ferike, our cousin and then Klari. The older man in the back is a neighbor.

We were educated to love the Jewish religion. My father was less religious as he was a hard physical labourer, but he kept the Sabbath.

Our mother, however, was very religious: she did everything to ensure that her children felt Jewish. All the children were taught to read Hebrew and all had to have their Bar Mitzvah.

My mother could read Hebrew but my father did not. Had my father been a bit more religious, my mother would have worn the sheitl (wig) too.

I myself wore payot (sidelocks), but only until the age of ten. I had seen the other children wearing them and I did not want to be seen to be any less Jewish. Later, we wore the kipa at home.

My younger brother is so religious even now that he goes to synagogue every day in the morning and evening.

We were considered very religious. My parents even took on a duty in the community. When someone in the town died, they would be washed – by my dear mother if it was a woman, by my father if it was a man. We were very kosher.

I remember "taking the carving" (the gullet of the goose that has to be taken to the rabbi for him to check the kashruth).

I remember that meat which had not been salted previously could not be placed on the table at all. We had to be very careful not to mix together the milk and the meat foods.