Issak-Sakis Leon and Barouch-Andreas Leon

This is a photograph of my beloved children, Isaac-Sakis and Barouch-Andreas. It was taken at my parents' house at 55th Italias Street in Thessaloniki in 1960. In this photograph Sakis is at the left and Andreas at the right. Our older son, Isaac-Sakis, was born in 1957 and our younger one, Barouch-Andreas, was born in 1959. It wasn't possible not to have our two sons circumcised. The ceremony took place at my mother-in-law Sarina's house. We invited many guests. My eldest brother Juda was the 'Quitador' [Ladino term for the person who holds the baby during circumcision] of my son Isaac-Sakis, and my wife's brother Mimis was the 'Quitador' of our younger son, Barouch-Andreas. Our children were very young when we moved to Athens. We were talking in Greek with them. They first went to the Athens Jewish Community School and continued their studies at Moraitis School. They were learning a bit of Hebrew and were doing preparatory lessons with Rabbi Mizan for their bar mitzvah. Both our sons had their bar mitzvah in Athens. Many people came and it was a very touching ceremony. There was a Jewish Club where our sons went very often. They were involved in all the activities organized and went to the Jewish club on Jewish holidays, too.