We used to observe the high holidays. However, my husband didn’t go to the synagogue on Friday evenings and I didn’t light candles either, we only had to light candles at our wedding, and never did since then. I didn’t observe these traditions, and, unfortunately, I didn’t educate my children in this spirit.
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Displaying 47371 - 47400 of 50826 results
Klara Markus
We weren’t too religious even after we got married. We were normal people. I didn’t have a kosher household, and didn’t consider it important, because we had so little money. We were happy we had something to eat, and weren’t in a position to choose between Jewish and Christian food.
There was no theater in Maramarossziget, there was a cinema, though, but we never went there. Considering that my husband was a doctor, we hardly had any money. We were poor, and I had to work. We didn’t go anywhere on summer holidays, it must have happened only once or twice that we went to Aknasugatag. [Editor’s note: There’s a salt bath in Aknasugatag.] We needed money for everything, and we had so little.
While the children were still small we used to celebrate Christmas at home. I used to buy a small Christmas tree, because Babika came home once saying, ‘Well, everyone has a Christmas tree, little Jesus brought it, everyone has one, but me.’ So I got one.
But I was so happy! People were so primitive then, those good old communists! They were so primitive you can’t imagine! They thought everyone with a diploma was their enemy. A doctor must be a kulak. When my husband was kicked out from the Party, he was relieved from his duties, but still worked in the home for the elderly.
But they wrecked him, they ruined him mentally, because we were afraid all the time that he would be imprisoned. We couldn’t sleep at night and thought the Securitate car would come for him anytime. I remember they came once, but they stopped in front of the third house; I don’t remember who was living there, but they took them all in. And they didn’t come for my husband because he was a doctor.
But they wrecked him, they ruined him mentally, because we were afraid all the time that he would be imprisoned. We couldn’t sleep at night and thought the Securitate car would come for him anytime. I remember they came once, but they stopped in front of the third house; I don’t remember who was living there, but they took them all in. And they didn’t come for my husband because he was a doctor.
Communism was a very odd thing, because they considered themselves communists, although there were the bosses who were leading, so there were different classes. [Editor’s note: Klara refers to the Communist Party, to the fact that although they proclaimed social equality, within the party there existed subordination relationships.]
I too was a party member. Where I was working it was mandatory to be a party member, so they could fire anyone who was a kulak [16]. When my husband was fired, I was fired, too, because I was the wife of a doctor, whose father, but grandfather were also doctors, who were living in Transdanubia, so it was a distinguished family with noble origins.
I too was a party member. Where I was working it was mandatory to be a party member, so they could fire anyone who was a kulak [16]. When my husband was fired, I was fired, too, because I was the wife of a doctor, whose father, but grandfather were also doctors, who were living in Transdanubia, so it was a distinguished family with noble origins.
My husband was the manager of a home for the elderly, while I was a typist in a children’s home. The boss was a very decent accountant, Mrs. Bilaniuc, Elena, or Lena. She was a very nice person, and still visits me from time to time. She is much younger, she is 74, but she looks 20.
She still dyes her hair, but she doesn’t have one wrinkle, nothing. The manager was very decent, although he had been a member of the Iron Guard [15], but that was when he was 16-17, little did he know about it then, but then it was easy to recruit anybody. But he was despised because of his history with the Iron Guard.
She still dyes her hair, but she doesn’t have one wrinkle, nothing. The manager was very decent, although he had been a member of the Iron Guard [15], but that was when he was 16-17, little did he know about it then, but then it was easy to recruit anybody. But he was despised because of his history with the Iron Guard.
Later, the house was nationalized [see Nationalization in Romania] [14], because my father was an intellectual, and we had to fight quite a lot until we finally got it back in 1952, I think.
When he came back, some Russians were living in his apartment, but they let him stay. There was a Russian officer, who was a doctor, and as doctors they became very good friends. This doctor lived with a woman called Margaretta, a Jew. Then they had to leave and so we got the house back.
In the meantime, after the Russians left, a man called Karpati moved in upstairs. He was a member of the SS. After the war he managed to get the authorities to declare him incapacitated or something, and he escaped this way, but he was an SS member. When me and my husband moved in, he was already there, but he was a genuine pig, because he used to hit the floor just to annoy us.
He was truly Anti-Semitic. We tried to avoid him, but he was always provoking us. He was Hungarian, but he considered himself a German, and later they emigrated to Germany. After he left there was no one else left in the house, and we had the house to ourselves.
In the meantime, after the Russians left, a man called Karpati moved in upstairs. He was a member of the SS. After the war he managed to get the authorities to declare him incapacitated or something, and he escaped this way, but he was an SS member. When me and my husband moved in, he was already there, but he was a genuine pig, because he used to hit the floor just to annoy us.
He was truly Anti-Semitic. We tried to avoid him, but he was always provoking us. He was Hungarian, but he considered himself a German, and later they emigrated to Germany. After he left there was no one else left in the house, and we had the house to ourselves.
My husband managed to survive because he was in forced labor camps between 1942 and 1945, he came as far as the Don.
,
During WW2
See text in interview
My husband became a doctor, a urologist. He finished medical school in Vienna and lived there for a year as doctor, but then he came home and settled in Maramarossziget.
,
Before WW2
See text in interview
My husband, Endre Markus, was born in 1901 in Maragyalufalva [today Giulesti, 15km from Maramarossziget], which included Aknasugatag [today Ocna Sugatag, 18km East of Maramarossziget]. His father was called Moricz, and was a doctor. He was 32 when my husband was born.
Moreover, his father, i.e. my husband’s grandfather, was a doctor, too, he lived somewhere in Transdanubia, but I don’t know where. My husband’s mother, Sarolta Geiger, Sari, was 24 when she gave birth to my husband. She was originally from Budapest, and was the descendant of a Transdanubian rabbi called Sam Seufeld.
But they lived in Aknasugatag, because my husband’s father got a job there as local practitioner, and later they moved to Maramarossziget, and were deported. My husband had a little sister called Baba, but her real name was Elisabeth.
Moreover, his father, i.e. my husband’s grandfather, was a doctor, too, he lived somewhere in Transdanubia, but I don’t know where. My husband’s mother, Sarolta Geiger, Sari, was 24 when she gave birth to my husband. She was originally from Budapest, and was the descendant of a Transdanubian rabbi called Sam Seufeld.
But they lived in Aknasugatag, because my husband’s father got a job there as local practitioner, and later they moved to Maramarossziget, and were deported. My husband had a little sister called Baba, but her real name was Elisabeth.
I only visited Haifa, they didn’t take me to Jerusalem because they were poor, too. I’ve been to Israel, but I haven’t seen Jerusalem. Back then it was a very primitive country and I wasn’t impressed. They all struggled there. The only thing they had was freedom, but people were struggling and lived in very moderate means.
It was awful what I saw there, everything was very modest, and there was that silence. They all feared the Arabs. Everyone feared for their lives, they were even afraid to go out on the streets. It was something, that Israel. I don’t know how things are going today, most certainly everything is quite different now.
It was awful what I saw there, everything was very modest, and there was that silence. They all feared the Arabs. Everyone feared for their lives, they were even afraid to go out on the streets. It was something, that Israel. I don’t know how things are going today, most certainly everything is quite different now.
I visited Israel only once, in 1971, by myself, and stayed there for six weeks.
My cousins from Maramarossziget, Zsofi Schongut and Ocsi [Lazar] Schongut, are both living in Israel with their families.
As soon as it was possible they emigrated. I think they both emigrated in 1956. Exactly on Yom Kippur everyone ran out of the synagogue and signed up and requested for documents. They cared less about Yom Kippur, or anything for that matter, they just kept saying, ‘Let’s go, let’s go!’, the whole bunch left the synagogue and went to the police station to sign up.
As soon as it was possible they emigrated. I think they both emigrated in 1956. Exactly on Yom Kippur everyone ran out of the synagogue and signed up and requested for documents. They cared less about Yom Kippur, or anything for that matter, they just kept saying, ‘Let’s go, let’s go!’, the whole bunch left the synagogue and went to the police station to sign up.
,
After WW2
See text in interview
I finished the four grades of elementary school in a Jewish school, a Neolog one, because both the Orthodox and haired had their own elementary schools. But then after elementary school there was no Jewish school, i.e. middle school, I could attend, only the Jewish middle school in Nagyvarad.
Although we were Jews, we used to observe Christmas, especially because of the German maid we had, as she was extremely religious. The jewry from Nagykaroly used to observe the Christian holidays, while the Christians observed the Jewish holidays. And Christmas was so angelic in our house, with so much devotion! It was beautiful!
We decorated the Christmas tree, but later we only had money for a small tree. We used to decorate it with Christmas candy and nuts, but it was so small we couldn’t use much. We always had servants and my mother used to give them presents, depending on what they needed: stockings, blouses or sweaters.
But we [the children] didn’t get any presents, because we were poor and had just enough that we could give something to the servants. On Christmas it was again important to have crumbly cake with nut or poppy seed filling.
We decorated the Christmas tree, but later we only had money for a small tree. We used to decorate it with Christmas candy and nuts, but it was so small we couldn’t use much. We always had servants and my mother used to give them presents, depending on what they needed: stockings, blouses or sweaters.
But we [the children] didn’t get any presents, because we were poor and had just enough that we could give something to the servants. On Christmas it was again important to have crumbly cake with nut or poppy seed filling.
On Easter the Christians used to send us some delicious pastries: crumbly cake with nut or poppy seed filling. This was mandatory. They rolled out the batter, put the filling on it and rolled it over. But it wasn’t a milk loaf, because it was made with baking powder and not with yeast.
People used to come to sprinkle my sisters with water. Sprinkling was an important thing then. [Editor’s note: Sprinkling is a national Easter custom. This custom was thought to be an ancient fertility and cleaning ritual, this is why girls and women were sprinkled with water. It takes place on the second day of Easter: on Easter Monday. This custom is dying now.]
They used to carry perfume and poured a bit on the girl’s head. The villagers and servants were watered with a bucket. When we had money, we had to paint red eggs, because if someone came they had to be given something.
People used to come to sprinkle my sisters with water. Sprinkling was an important thing then. [Editor’s note: Sprinkling is a national Easter custom. This custom was thought to be an ancient fertility and cleaning ritual, this is why girls and women were sprinkled with water. It takes place on the second day of Easter: on Easter Monday. This custom is dying now.]
They used to carry perfume and poured a bit on the girl’s head. The villagers and servants were watered with a bucket. When we had money, we had to paint red eggs, because if someone came they had to be given something.
On Purim, the grown-ups also used to dress up in different clothes, fancy dresses. On this occasion we had the custom to send plates of pastry to our acquaintances, especially the Christians, because they were always looking forward to Purim and everyone had some good friends who were Christians.
We used to get some, as well. The custom was to cook several types of pastries. These were dry cakes, pastries with chocolate and yellow cookies. Then we had the framed puszerli, which was really exquisite. It was made as follows: the egg white had to be whipped to a mousse, then they added the egg yolk, sugar, flour, then cut it to small, flat pieces and cooked it. It was called puszerli because it created its own frame. It was very delicious, it melted in the mouth!
We used to get some, as well. The custom was to cook several types of pastries. These were dry cakes, pastries with chocolate and yellow cookies. Then we had the framed puszerli, which was really exquisite. It was made as follows: the egg white had to be whipped to a mousse, then they added the egg yolk, sugar, flour, then cut it to small, flat pieces and cooked it. It was called puszerli because it created its own frame. It was very delicious, it melted in the mouth!
I think before Purim there was the kapores, when a hen must be whirled over the head; women do it with a hen, and men with a cock. [Editor’s note: Klara remembers this incorrectly, because the kapores expiation ritual is before the morning of Yom Kippur.]
The kapores is the sacrifice made for someone’s sins, which is the hen [or cock, respectively]. We used to do this when we were kids, in the kitchen. But I was still a child and was afraid, so they helped me. I had to hold the hen, and my mother helped me. We had to say something in the meantime, ‘Let this be the sacrifice...’, but in Yiddish, I don’t remember anymore. Then the hen had to be taken to the shochet.
The kapores is the sacrifice made for someone’s sins, which is the hen [or cock, respectively]. We used to do this when we were kids, in the kitchen. But I was still a child and was afraid, so they helped me. I had to hold the hen, and my mother helped me. We had to say something in the meantime, ‘Let this be the sacrifice...’, but in Yiddish, I don’t remember anymore. Then the hen had to be taken to the shochet.
Long ago, when I was still little, there were separate utensils for Pesach, which we had to bring down from the attic. I remember we had to change the utensils. After eight days we put them back and brought down the others. We sold flour and the like, but only to close acquaintances, for example, the servants who were in the house.
We sold it at a symbolic price, and then bought it back for twice that price.
We sold it at a symbolic price, and then bought it back for twice that price.
We observed Pesach, but only with Jewish, yeast-free matzah. And on these occasions we used to give matzah to the Christians. And how happy they were! When we gave them the matzah, they said, ‘Oh, goody, how nice that you brought some!’ I don’t like matzah, it has no taste.
But there was matzah made with machines, as well, and in Israel these are still in use, and there was the other type of matzah, a thicker one, which was smooth and made of darker flour. The haired and observant Jews didn’t eat the matzah made in a factory, they had the one the baker made from unleavened batter.
The baker and his assistants were Jewish. On Friday afternoons we took the pots there. The stove, it was a huge stove, just like they used to have in the bakeries, was heated up by then, and the next day it was ready [cooked]. We then went to collect it. On Fridays there was cholent all over the place, both Neologs and Orthodox took their cholent here.
On Fridays and Saturdays they didn’t cook anything else. But if we weren’t kosher anymore, on the basis of the community leadership’s disposition, the baker wasn’t allowed to take our pots with cholent, so we gave up this tradition. On Pesach, the bakeries used to bake matzah.
On Fridays and Saturdays they didn’t cook anything else. But if we weren’t kosher anymore, on the basis of the community leadership’s disposition, the baker wasn’t allowed to take our pots with cholent, so we gave up this tradition. On Pesach, the bakeries used to bake matzah.
My mother and the others started off being kosher, but later, after we went broke, they discontinued this. We never slaughtered a pig, but we never refused sausage, for example. We also used to buy pork, because it was cheaper than beef. Long ago we used to make cholent, but later gave up this habit. It had to be put in pots and taken to a bakery, only this way it had a good taste.
On Saturday afternoons the Havdalah takes place, when Sabbath is departing. I only remember that there was a bowl with some water in it, people used to dip their hands into it and put water on everyone’s head; they said a blessing, at home, if there was a man in the house, otherwise it wasn’t valid. I don’t remember whether my father used to do it, because I was too young then, but someone did it, although I don’t know who it was. This was the ritual on Saturday evenings.
Women don’t have to go to the synagogue. There are the very religious women who go, but only men have to be there on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings.
We only went to the synagogue when the maskir took place. The maskir is when Jews pray for the dead. My father died in 1917, and there was a great gathering then. It takes place on each high holiday; Yom Kippur, Pesach, etc.
We had a German maid who used to go every Sunday to the service, and it was natural for us that she went to her church, we didn’t have anything against it. For example, there were Christians who used to go to the synagogue on Yom Kippur, saying that God appreciated it if they were going. They said their prayers, but they respected the other religion.
Neolog and Orthodox Jews had a separate mikveh. The haired used to go to the Neolog mikveh. The difference of the Orthodox mikveh was that there was a person who submerged anyone who went there to bathe three times. Only the Orthodox had this ritual. I didn’t go to any of the mikves, nor did my mother or sisters, because we always used to bathe at home.
This ritual was important for the men, they had to go there each week on Friday afternoons. [Editor’s note: According to the prescriptions, married women had to go to the mikveh after their period.] Back then only a few people had bathrooms at home, so they used to go there to bathe. There were separate tubs, but those were more expensive, and there was a common pool in each bathhouse.
There was room for everyone, and it was peaceful, there was no rivalry among the Jews. Every religion got along well with each other in Nagykaroly. There were Roman Catholics, Reformed, Orthodox, Russians; there was a separate Russian Orthodox church and Greek Catholics.
This ritual was important for the men, they had to go there each week on Friday afternoons. [Editor’s note: According to the prescriptions, married women had to go to the mikveh after their period.] Back then only a few people had bathrooms at home, so they used to go there to bathe. There were separate tubs, but those were more expensive, and there was a common pool in each bathhouse.
There was room for everyone, and it was peaceful, there was no rivalry among the Jews. Every religion got along well with each other in Nagykaroly. There were Roman Catholics, Reformed, Orthodox, Russians; there was a separate Russian Orthodox church and Greek Catholics.