Judita Sendrei's grandmother, Janka Bruck, knitting

The picture of my paternal grandmother, Janka Bruck, was taken in 1944 right before her deportation to Auschwitz where she was murdered. Our family lived in my paternal grandmother Janka Bruck's (maiden name - Kantor) house. There we had a big yard with a small greenery. In the building there were two separate housing units. I lived with my parents in one section made up of four rooms and washrooms and toilets. My grandmother Janka lived in the other part. My grandfather, Lipot Bruck, was employed on a homestead that he managed. Unfortunate events led him to fall off a horse and die in Subotica on May 27, 1920. We had a permanent cook and housekeeper who lived with us in the house. My grandmother Janka kept a kosher kitchen. My grandparents were not Orthodox but they celebrated all the holidays. My father, Matija Bruck, read the Hagaddah. Our Hagaddah was in Hebrew and Hungarian. We lit candles on Shabbat, made challah and prepared a festive meal. My father, grandmother and mother each had their own seat in the Neolog synagogue. We fasted on Rosh Hashanah, and I remember that our cantor sang so well that there was not enough room in the synagogue when he sang Kol Nidre. Rabbi Gersan led the service. We lit Hannukah candles. During Passover my parents hid a small piece of matzoh and the person who found it got a present. I usually found it.