Handwritten Ladino Letter Judeo-Spanish Sephardic Jewish Doctor Istanbul Judaica For Sale

Very rare1936 Handwritten Ladino Letter Judeo-Spanish Sephardic Jewish Doctor Istanbul Judaica
Handwritten letter in Ladino (Judeo-Spanish), dated Istanbul, November 10, 1936, written by Joseph (Jewish Doctor Joseph who would later desperately try to rescue his parents from Germany in 1939 in our other listings) to his family. This letter presents a raw and honest portrait of the difficulties of being a young doctor without means in 1930s Istanbul.
JosephSavariegowrites that life is continuing as it was and things have not improved at all. From a card game the previous week he won just once and was without a cent and without cigarettes that day. He met a Greek family (the husband a graduate of Haşkeuy who also knows the father, named Ferrera) and they spent the whole day together. He cannot make any claims for lack of money. The address he was given is a place that prints books not newspapers, which is useless for him. He would be much happier doing something else. He knew this type of difficult time was coming long before. He has been years since finishing his studies and cannot yet earn anything. He is wasting time without knowing what to do with his whole day. To be a doctor you need pockets full of money to live without anxiety and take leisure — if someone has no money and needs to earn much just to survive, the effort is enormous. He is also distressed that he can do nothing to help them out of this situation. On the matter of finding a bride with money — it is impossible. One woman says it is too much to take a doctor husband; others say he is still not earning and prefer an employee with a guaranteed salary. He notes angrily that Nessim came with his cousin and sister-in-law to ask about him, he told them he was good but not yet earning — they informed themselves further about him. He is already nearly 9 months in Istanbul and wishes he had stayed in Berlin. It is impossible to get employed in a hospital because he is a graduate (dschdudyo/Jew) — graduates are condemned to suffer everywhere in the world. It is truly worth studying so many years and destroying one\'s life to become a doctor, earn diplomas and titles, and then end up struggling at home. He says this must be his fate. He hopes at least that they are doing a bit better in their affairs. Regarding the carpet (tapete) question, he has not yet informed himself because everything requires money upfront and the prospects are uncertain. He closes with high esteem to all. A deeply human and painfully honest document of Jewish professional and social life in 1930s Istanbul.
TheSavariego (Savaryego) surname is a recognized Sephardic Jewish family name in Istanbul and the broader Ottoman world. Like many Jewish families in Galata, theSavariego familyhave been descendants of the Sephardic Jews who arrived from Spain and Portugal after 1492. In the 1940s, professional Jews — doctors, merchants, artisans — built their lives in Galata, a neighborhood with many synagogues.
Historically significant, this is a nice collector’s item—ideal for collectors focused on history, cultural ephemera, politics, religion or the evolution of social history. A standout antique document addition to any eye-catching unique collection.
Measures 20 x 18 centimeters (approx.)
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Please examine the listing, some bent corners, era folds, small tears and slight stains due to their genuine antique aging.As is antique good condition, what you see is what you will get. We try to present the real state of the object as completely as possible with photos.
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