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The people in the photograph: My mother Ines, at home with her grandchildren Ines and Sima.
My mother Ines Romano was born in Edirne. I do not remember the birthdate. She was a very humble woman. She would not attend meetings a lot. Because my father had a principle. When my father came home from work, he wished to see my mother across him. When my mother went somewhere, she would come half an hour earlier. When my father arrived, my mother had to be the one opening the door. But this was a habit based on love and respect.
My mother was slender and graceful and her hair remained black till she died. Every mother views her child differently. But she spoiled me excessively, even my spouse complains about this. My mother and father never let me want for anything in my life. My mother was even a big support when we went out with friends, as a group. When my friends got fifty pennies, I would get a hundred pennies.
My mother is a highschool graduate, I do not remember which highschool. My father on the other hand graduated from university, he studied in Istanbul, I do not know which university. But I think it was either economics or math. He would solve all of our math problems. I know very well that he studied in university. Their mother tongues were Turkish and Judeo Spanish, they would speak Spanish and French among themselves, they would speak Turkish with us. Because we did not speak the Judeo Spanish language very well, they would speak Turkish with us.
My mother and father probably met in Edirne, because they were both from Edirne. There was a great love between them. Yuda Romano constantly would come to the balcony and serenade her. Their love was very, very strong. There was great affection. When my mother was sick, my father would cry. A person who appeared so serious and strong, when my mother got the flu, he would cry in the other room. When they asked him why he was crying, he would lament "what if something happens to her". My mother would do everything he said, but at the same time she was vary of him. For example sometimes she had to buy something on a Saturday, she would go without letting him know and come back. Their wedding was in the Edirne Synagogue, I do not remember the date.
My older daughter Ines Romano, was born in 1964 in Istanbul, in Guzelbahche clinic. She grew up in Edirne. She finished elementary school, junior high, highschool and university in Edirne. She is a metallurgical engineer. She married Moris Aldish and has a daughter named Doris. Aldish family is also from Edirne. She had a very happy life in Edirne. The children grew up in open air and gardens. My younger daughter Sima is born in 1974. She was born in Istanbul too. She finished elementary school in Edirne. She attended junior high, highschool and university in Istanbul. She finished Beshiktash Anadolu Lisesi. She studied sociology in Mimar Sinan University. Currently she is a teacher in Marmaris. She is married to Tansel Chetin. She has a daughter named Melis. They live in Marmaris. She is married and has a daughter.
My older daughter likes Turkish folk dancing a lot, there were some international competitions, she even participated in them. My younger daughter Sima also likes folk dancing, but she especially likes Israeli folk dancing. She even taught Israeli folk dancing in the Jewish highschool.
My older daughter Ines was born in 1964, and in 1973, my younger daughter Sima. My wife struggled in Edirne for their education. She won entrance to Beshiktash Anadolu Lisesi (Besiktas Anatolia highschool) after finishing elementary school. We were obliged to come to Istanbul so my younger daughter could get a better education. My wife had to cut her ties to Edirne. We did not want to leave her alone in Istanbul. We helped her so she could study here. Then my older daughter got married. We came and went for her too. Our life was spent on the roads.