Matilda Israel's 80th birthday

This is a photo from my 80th birthday, celebrated in Sofia in 2001. From left to right: Borko (the older son of Albert, cousin of my husband Salvator Israel), my sons Michel and Marcel, Albert's wife Tanya, me, my daughter-in-law Tanya - Michel's wife, my granddaughter Leontina - Michel's younger daughter, Albert Israel and his younger son Albert. My sons organized an incredible party on the occasion in a restaurant in Sofia. They invited all my friends. We had a wonderful time. My only relatives in Bulgaria are the children of a cousin of my husband. This man was a teacher in Russian. He has two sons - Albert and Sami, who now lives in the USA and has a son - Haim. We see each other, unfortunately not very often, usually on some family holidays. Albert has two sons - Borko and Albert. Many of my friends from the Jewish organization Shalom in Sofia were at my 80th anniversary. Nowadays the Jewish community in Bulgaria and especially in Sofia seems to me to be very united. Every time I go to the Bet Am [the Jewish community center in Sofia], I feel warmth, which cannot be described with words. There is something interesting to do there every day and something to be learned. When I feel well, I always visit the groups teaching Hebrew, Ladino, the Health club, the Golden Age club and others. In the summer we often go on excursions to different places in Bulgaria. I found many friends in the Jewish home and have a very good time there.