The wedding of Streya Mayer Puncheva

This is the wedding photo of my elder daughter Streya Mayer Puncheva (nee Alhalel) with my son-in-law Ignat Punchev (deceased). The picture was made in 1969 in Vidin [port city on the right bank of the Danube in Bulgaria, 220 km. away from Sofia].

My husband and I have two children - Streya Mayer Puncheva (nee Alhalel) and Sheli Mayer Vladeva (nee Alhalel). The elder one, Streya, was born in 1949. She graduated from the chemical technical school in Vidin. She has been working as a chemist in the local meat processing plant for some years. My younger daughter Sheli was born in 1954 and is a construction engineer. Unfortunately, she does not have children. I have grandchildren from Streya, who also worked in the municipality in Vidin. My granddaughter Yanita lives in a kibbutz now. She has a daughter Viara Slavcheva, who is married, but I do no know her new family name. My grandson Lyubomir, who is director of Bulbank in Sofia, also has children. Their names are Konstantin and Mihaela.

The father of Streya - Mayer Rafael Ahalel, was distinguished socially active person in Vidin. He experienced the difficult times between 1930s and 1940s in Bulgaria when the Law for Protection of the Nation [A comprehensive anti-Jewish legislation in Bulgaria was introduced after the outbreak of World War II. The 'Law for the Protection of the Nation' was officially promulgated in January 1941] was passed. Then the Bulgarian Jews did not have the right to own shops and factories. At that time all Jewish men between the ages of 18-50, eligible for military service, were called up. In these labor groups Jewish men were forced to work 7-8 months a year on different road constructions under very hard living and working conditions. Jews had to wear the distinctive yellow star; Jewish houses had to display a special sign identifying it as being Jewish; Jews were dismissed from all posts in schools and universities.