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I was born in Vratsa in 1925. I remember very well that at that time we still didn’t have electricity in the town. The synagogue was stuck to the house we used to live in. We shared it with another family. I remember my mother washing the gas lamp every Friday, changing its candlewick, and lighting it up. In fall, my mother used to prepare a special grape wine so that my father could read the blessing for Sabbath after returning from the synagogue. On Sabbath we usually had chicken with rice or pastel [traditional Jewish dish made of flour and mince veal]. This is a pastry with meat. During the week we had ordinary meals but on Friday evening and on Saturday there was always meat, and it was a great pleasure for us. Our family was poor and we didn’t keep any special dishes for holidays except for Pesach.
We used to get together during the holidays when we were young: on Pesach and Rosh Hashanah, and my father performed the rituals. Yet, after some time, when my brothers started to work, the closeness of the family gradually disappeared. The family couldn’t gather any longer. Only the two of us: my sister Adela and I were present. Yet all of us did gather on Pesach and the other great holidays. And my father always performed the ritual in accordance with the Jewish customs.
I remember that in the morning when we wondered what our breakfast would be that day, I usually went to buy a large piece of khalva [oriental dessert delicacy: the word is of Turkish origin], which was around a quarter of a kilo. My mother gave each one of us a piece, and that was our breakfast. I was always sent to do the shopping and although I didn’t have any financial guarantees, every day I took on credit four breads from a bakery on Sredna Gora Street. We ate mostly bread on a regular basis. As soon as the 15th or the 30th day of the month arrived my father and brother went there and paid for the bread for the whole period. That’s how our life went on.
We used to get together during the holidays when we were young: on Pesach and Rosh Hashanah, and my father performed the rituals. Yet, after some time, when my brothers started to work, the closeness of the family gradually disappeared. The family couldn’t gather any longer. Only the two of us: my sister Adela and I were present. Yet all of us did gather on Pesach and the other great holidays. And my father always performed the ritual in accordance with the Jewish customs.
I remember that in the morning when we wondered what our breakfast would be that day, I usually went to buy a large piece of khalva [oriental dessert delicacy: the word is of Turkish origin], which was around a quarter of a kilo. My mother gave each one of us a piece, and that was our breakfast. I was always sent to do the shopping and although I didn’t have any financial guarantees, every day I took on credit four breads from a bakery on Sredna Gora Street. We ate mostly bread on a regular basis. As soon as the 15th or the 30th day of the month arrived my father and brother went there and paid for the bread for the whole period. That’s how our life went on.
Location
Bulgaria
Interview
Yosif Avram Levi