Tag #125109 - Interview #97653 (Rebeka Evgin)

Miryam was born in Damascus in 1920.  Miryam was a tailor.  She sewed for the most famous people in Adana.  She married my cousin Mois Daniyelzade.  The family objected to this marriage.  Because they were cousins with Mois, and in addition they dated.  Dating was frowned upon in those days.  When they went out, Miryam would take me with them.  She would meet Mois with the pretext of taking her sister out.  She would ask me not to mention this to my mother.  In time my mother accepted this union.  They left for Israel too, after they were married.  Miryam continued working in Israel.  Mois who was a sophisticated man on the other hand, could not find work and started working in construction.  First he settled in Hertzelia.  He started living in a small house with the opportunities that the Israeli government provided him.  Later he moved to Holon with the money he earned.  But Hertzelia became a city that bloomed.  And my older sister lost this opportunity that was given to her.  They had children named Suzan, Yosi (my father’s name), Yayir (her father-in-law’s name) and Hertzel.  Suzan and Yosi were born in Istanbul, Yayir and Hertzel in Israel.

These siblings who immigrated to Israel, started meeting up and socializing with each other.  They were together often on holidays.  Even though each one had their own lifestyle, the siblings and their spouses were very happy being together.  My uncle Simon and Miryam came to visit Bodrum this past summer.  From there, they came to Istanbul to visit with us too.