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I have a few memories of Bourgas, where we lived until I was three. At first we lived at my granny Rosa's place. I remember there was a large dining room there, in which a big lamp was on, but not an electrical one. My father had five brothers: Yeshua, Albert, Gaston, Leon and Yosif. They also lived in that house. Yeshua was married. I guess the daughters-in-law helped in keeping the household. They cleaned their own rooms first and then assisted their mother-in-law. I used to play with my oldest cousin Rosa; I used to call her Chechi, but I don't know why. My granny's house, in which we used to live, was actually rented. It seems that at that time people didn't really care so much about buying property. And not that they were poor. Only my uncle Leon did buy a house, which he sold when he left for Israel after the war [WWII]. I remember that later we lived at aunt Irina's place. She had a daughter, Lalka. The landlady loved my mother like her own child. Many years later, after I had graduated from university, I went to Bourgas and found the house. Aunt Irina was no longer alive, but I met with Lalka. This was in 1951. I don't know whether this house still exists today.
Yeshua used to sell flowers. His wife's name was Ester and she was from the town of Nova Zagora. They had two children: Yako and Rosa. Albert died young. His wife's name was also Ester, and she was from the city of Stara Zagora. They had two children: Lili, who died at the age of only six, and Rosa. The other brother, Leon, born in 1878, was a carter. His wife's name was Luna; she was from the town of Karnobat. Leon and Luna had two daughters: Rosa and Simha. My father's fifth brother Yosif's wife was called Mimi. She was from Plovdiv and I remember that she graduated from the French College [2]. They also had two children: David and Rosa. Yosif was born in 1911 and died in 2002 in Israel, where he used to live. They also had a little sister who died very early. I don't know her name. All my father's brothers have a daughter named after their mother and my granny Rosa. I was also named after her. It was a family custom. My cousin Evgenia was named after my other granny, my mother's mother. Usually the child received the name of the grandfather or the grandmother after their death. In our family though my oldest cousin and I were both named after my granny Rosa when she was still alive because her sons respected her very much.
I don't remember a particularly Jewish neighborhood in Bourgas. It is true that a lot of Jews used to live on Bogoridi Street, some of whom I remember by name: tanti [aunt] Reina, uncle Mois; and there were several Assa families. Our house wasn't exactly on Bogoridi Street, but it was close. It was on a street parallel to Bogoridi Street. My father's brothers also rented lodgings in the center of Bourgas. My connection with Bourgas has never broken off. Although later we didn't live there any longer, I used to go there every summer, moreover I remember my mother taking me there as a little child in order to treat my rachitis.
Yeshua used to sell flowers. His wife's name was Ester and she was from the town of Nova Zagora. They had two children: Yako and Rosa. Albert died young. His wife's name was also Ester, and she was from the city of Stara Zagora. They had two children: Lili, who died at the age of only six, and Rosa. The other brother, Leon, born in 1878, was a carter. His wife's name was Luna; she was from the town of Karnobat. Leon and Luna had two daughters: Rosa and Simha. My father's fifth brother Yosif's wife was called Mimi. She was from Plovdiv and I remember that she graduated from the French College [2]. They also had two children: David and Rosa. Yosif was born in 1911 and died in 2002 in Israel, where he used to live. They also had a little sister who died very early. I don't know her name. All my father's brothers have a daughter named after their mother and my granny Rosa. I was also named after her. It was a family custom. My cousin Evgenia was named after my other granny, my mother's mother. Usually the child received the name of the grandfather or the grandmother after their death. In our family though my oldest cousin and I were both named after my granny Rosa when she was still alive because her sons respected her very much.
I don't remember a particularly Jewish neighborhood in Bourgas. It is true that a lot of Jews used to live on Bogoridi Street, some of whom I remember by name: tanti [aunt] Reina, uncle Mois; and there were several Assa families. Our house wasn't exactly on Bogoridi Street, but it was close. It was on a street parallel to Bogoridi Street. My father's brothers also rented lodgings in the center of Bourgas. My connection with Bourgas has never broken off. Although later we didn't live there any longer, I used to go there every summer, moreover I remember my mother taking me there as a little child in order to treat my rachitis.
Location
Bulgaria
Interview
Rosa Kolevska