Salvo’s first wedding

This picture was taken on September 25th, 1978, in Sevillanas restaurant on the wedding night. From the left, a restaurant worker, my daughter-in-law Arlet Ers(Munteanu) and Salvo Ers are in the picture. That year we had a beautiful wedding. When Salvo was 18 years old, he met Arlet Munteanu. They came from Romania, rather from Romania to Israel, and from there to Istanbul. My son and Arlet formed a friendship. When my son reached 19, just as he entered 20, he was supposed to be called to military service. But Arlet and her family wished fervently to have a civil marriage just so she could stay here. Consequently she wasn't able to stay in Turkey. They were calling her to military service in ?srael, or she should be enrolled in university. She then studied here in university. One day Salvo brings Arlet to me, the families haven't met yet. Listen mom, I am leaving for the military on Monday, I am entrusting Arlet to you, we got engaged between ourselves, but we will make the final decision after I complete the military service, and he left. In the meantime I would call Arlet for my son's sake, we would take her out to eat on Sundays. Later she would return home to study. Two months hadn't gone by, one day her mother calls me: "I am Arlet's mother, if I invite you over for coffee, would you come?" I said thank you very much, let me consult my spouse, I will let you know. We accepted the invitation, met them, had coffee, conversed. In the meantime Arlet's father comes up and says what do you want for dowry. How am I going to talk in my son's place, I said, my son hasn't made his final decision yet, don't pressure me. Let my son return from the military, let them decide, then we will talk about the dowry. They talked already, he said, you promise me, are you giving your son to us. I am giving 600 dolars now, until they get married this money will be saved and we will give all of it, he said. I did not say yes or no. Our father did not talk, he was always the quiet type. I came home, I wrote my son a letter. You entrusted this girl to us, but you cannot entrust, this is their only daughter. They want to bring this to its finality, they pressured me I said, he could not say anything. The very next week, father and daughter and my husband went to Amasya to see my son. Later on, my son came on leave before his service was finished, and immediately we had the civil cerremony because Arlet was completing 18 years of age. They got married so she didn't have to go to Israel for military service. The wedding happened after the military service. They got married in Neve Shalom.