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When my brothers and I were still small the spirit of patriarchy used to dominate in our family. Every evening we used to get together and read the prayer before eating. After finishing dinner we used to say the prayer again. It was quite long and therefore we, the kids, impatiently waited for it to finish. We also performed all customs in accordance with our traditions during the holidays: Rosh Hashanah, [Yom] Kippur and Pesach.
We weren’t quite well-off in those times. Begging us to eat wasn’t typical for our parents likewise in other families. Our food was always scanty. We always observed who would receive less and who would receive more. My mother always split the food equally, but in the end she would always give me just a little bit more.
My father was the head of the family and he made most of the money. We used to consult him concerning every problem which had to be solved. Life was difficult for him. He gave all the money he earned to his family: he never kept it for himself. It was very rare for him to have a suit made for him, or buy something for him personally. Money was never enough and we were in a difficult financial situation. But I must emphasize that despite the financial limitations we had to endure, as a whole we grew up comparatively healthy. Diabetes was the illness of rich people, who pampered themselves with food containing a lot of sugar. This illness was quite ‘popular’ among Jews, as the rich Jews did like to overindulge into it. We had nothing to pamper ourselves with. We ate less butter and fat food unlike the others, but at dinner time when my mother used to cook beans, we used to eat two plates of it, or potatoes with meat balls, which was also among our favorite dishes. As a whole our cuisine was a ‘soup’ one, i.e. it consisted mainly of liquid dishes, which could be poured into the plate, so that we could eat more. Anyway, financial difficulties never became an obstacle for us, always being very glad and happy at home.
We weren’t quite well-off in those times. Begging us to eat wasn’t typical for our parents likewise in other families. Our food was always scanty. We always observed who would receive less and who would receive more. My mother always split the food equally, but in the end she would always give me just a little bit more.
My father was the head of the family and he made most of the money. We used to consult him concerning every problem which had to be solved. Life was difficult for him. He gave all the money he earned to his family: he never kept it for himself. It was very rare for him to have a suit made for him, or buy something for him personally. Money was never enough and we were in a difficult financial situation. But I must emphasize that despite the financial limitations we had to endure, as a whole we grew up comparatively healthy. Diabetes was the illness of rich people, who pampered themselves with food containing a lot of sugar. This illness was quite ‘popular’ among Jews, as the rich Jews did like to overindulge into it. We had nothing to pamper ourselves with. We ate less butter and fat food unlike the others, but at dinner time when my mother used to cook beans, we used to eat two plates of it, or potatoes with meat balls, which was also among our favorite dishes. As a whole our cuisine was a ‘soup’ one, i.e. it consisted mainly of liquid dishes, which could be poured into the plate, so that we could eat more. Anyway, financial difficulties never became an obstacle for us, always being very glad and happy at home.
Location
Bulgaria
Interview
Yosif Avram Levi