Alexandru and Toma Kohn at a Sabbath service

This photo was taken in the winter of 2002, shortly before the death of my brother Toma Kohn. He is the first from the left in the picture, the one who is holding a prayer book in his hand. The photo was taken during a Sabbath service on a Saturday morning. During the winter we don't meet in the synagogue because it's much too cold. Instead, we meet in a room in a retirement center in Arad. The photo was taken just before we were called to the Torah reading.

We have never celebrated any of the Christian holidays within the family, but we have always observed all of the Jewish traditions, even though my wife isn’t Jewish. As I was already 40 at the time of our marriage, I found it difficult to change my habits and wished to continue celebrating the Jewish holidays.

Concerning religious life, I do believe in God. This is somewhat of a problem for me, since I believe in Spinoza’s God. I want to know whom I believe in. Some things appear to me to be outdated, but in my soul I have a strong faith in God.

I am also somewhat involved in community life because I want Judaism to have continuity. I am strongly convinced that Bolshevists are part of a mafia organization that does no good for humanity. By its very definition it renders humanity rootless through atheism, and I would like to see the Jewish communities get rid of all communist habits. That’s why I have gotten involved.