Rahela Perisic's son Predrag Perisic

The picture was taken in Sarajevo in 1956. My son Predrag is pictured. We took the picture of him in my parent's house in Sarajevo. He lit the Chanukah candles and felt very honored and important.

In 1946, I participated in the building of the Brcko-Banovici railroad line. After finishing the work I met a wonderful young man, my current husband, Ilija Perisic. He was active in aviation. Very soon after we met we married. My two sisters and myself all married Serbs. My father wanted Jewish son-in-laws, but nonetheless he respected our choices. My husband went to an advanced military school and finished a degree in political science. He is very responsible, he worked hard in the air force war division. He retired as a general lieutenant colonel.

In the meantime we had three children. While the children were small they went to stay with my parents in Sarajevo for the school holidays. My parents celebrated all the Jewish holidays, so that from a young age my children knew everything about the holidays. My grandparents explained all the holidays to them. My husband and I are atheists and in our house we celebrated neither Jewish nor Serbian holidays. My children are from a mixed marriage and feel like both Jews and Serbs.

My middle son, Predrag, finished the technological faculty and has a master's degree. He is married and has two sons Nenad and Mladen both of whom are students. All my children are involved with the Jewish community.