[By clicking on my profile - or the blue link -, you'll enter my second blog, on which you can see the presentation of my novels ]
I would be happy to supply any information concerning the sale of my books. Just email vidalsuzy@gmail.com
In 1956 after the Suez War, most French and English Jews were kicked out of Egypt.
The rest, such as my family of Italian origin, left gradually because of vexations and reprisals against Jews in general as Israel had participated in that Anglo-French war.
In fact today there are practically no Jews left in Egypt except for a handful of people who do not leave because they are too old or cannot face re-adapting themselves to a new life.
Re-adapting to a new life was horrendous. We exiled ourselves to Milan as we had an Italian passport.
How can anyone re-adapt to anything after having lived in Egypt, which at that time was a ganna, paradise.
The struggle for life was unbelievable.
We received no help from the Italian government who claimed: “We were not at war with Egypt, you shouldn’t have left.”
So our slide into poverty took its toll on both my parents and their health deteriorated.
It is true of my mother first who could not get over that exile. She left us at age 55 and then my father followed her at age 57.
We were therefore doubly orphans.
Separated from the country of our birth and that we considered as ours and secondly my parents leaving us.
It was accordingly necessary to pay tribute to both our community and my family.
That is why I started writing my books so that no one forgets.
The title on the footsteps of Nefertari was chosen because she was beautiful and intelligent. Also the wife of the great Ramses 2, she was an independent woman before her age.
In this our Jewish women were like her.
Now take yourself back to Egypt and follow our guide Nefertari who will lead you into the world of Egyptian Jews.
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DEAR SULTANA LATIFA,
ReplyDeleteMILLE MABROUKS POUR TON NEW BLOG.
Il est super, et absolument digne de toi et de la memoire de la Communaute des Juifs d'Egypte.
Je l'ai parcouru en vitesse, et me redonnerai le plaisir de le savourer encore une fois, plus lentement.
Je regrette une seule chose, que tes chers parents ne sont pas la pour voir, ce que "La Petite Refugiee Juive" est devenue. Ils en auraient ete bien fiers. Mais toi et moi savons qu'ils savaient...
Levana.
The comment-case is now OPEN.
ReplyDeleteEveryone can post by choosing "comment as anonymous" OR "comment as name/URL" (in this case, post your comment with just a name - for example - and the name will appear above the post), etc.
I congratulate you for your new beautiful website! It represents your books on the Jews from Egypt and our 'Second Exodus' in a most impressive way.
ReplyDeleteMay it succeed to spread the story of our uprooting and our climbing on new roots to create again to the whole world.
With love and best wishes.
Sultana Latifa is a lively storyteller. She grew up in a fascinating family in Egypt and led an adventurous life, not conforming to what was expected of a young girl. Her autobiographical trilogy describes all this, her neighbours and street life, as well as the drama of the family's moves to escape political turmoil.
ReplyDeleteSultana has an amazing recall for the voices, sounds and sights of her life, going back to her earliest pre-school life. i bought two sets of her books and have circulated them among family and friends
Chère maman, comme je suis fière d'avoir cette histoire qui se prolonge avec tes petits enfants: Deborah, Benjamin et
ReplyDeleteAlexandre.
Ta fille Joelle
Les bouquins de Sultana Latifa devraient être portés à l'écran, que ce soit au cinéma ou à la télévision. Je suis sûre que cela ferait le délice de beaucoup de gens, émigrés comme nous, ou même émigrés d'ailleurs. Ces bouquins ont plusieurs couleurs: rouge pour le côté qui fait sourire ce côté joyeux humoristique, jaune qui décrit l'amour, bleu le déchirement, la tristesse, les larmes, la couleur du bleu Nil, qui s'en va si loin…
ReplyDeleteTout cela c'est notre Suzy nationale… je dis nationale en parlant de NOTRE pays, l'Egypte j'entends, elle y est restée profondément attachée, malgré toutes les turpitudes qu'elle a dû subir… Mais le pays lui était le sien, et n'est pas responsable des autorités qui ont eu l'audace que dis-je - le crime - de le conduire là où il est...
Tout cela apparaît dans ces écrits, délice des lecteurs.
I have read every one of Sultana Latifah's books and have enjoyed them all. Through her writings she gives her readers a vivid insight into the ways of life of Egyptian Jews, their traditions, joys and tears both before and after their enforced departure from their homes and the land of their parents, grand parents and ancestors. Their life was never to be the same again, living as they have had to do far from the land of their birth; but they have struggled with courage and persistence to get back on their feet. Sadly, but inevitably, some have not succeeded, but many have found a new place in the sun, have built new lives and families, and have adapted with energy and enthusiasm - despite nostalgia and the pain of exile - to the land of their exile.
ReplyDeleteSir Martin Gilbert (biographer of Sir Winston Churchill)
When I read your books I had the feeling of being back in Egypt and living my childhood again. Thanks for those wonderful books.
ReplyDeleteDear Sultana Latifa,
ReplyDeleteJust by pure chance in 2006, so by chance and very indirectly, I got to know about Aaha, Amitié Alexandrie d’Hier et Aujourd’hui, and that there were lots of books out there that related memories of Egypt as well as Cairo. Among these I spotted your books.
It was a revelation.....
Having lived in Cairo myself and being eternally sick of nostalgia, as soon as I started reading your books I was smitten and touched and I couldn’t stop reading them until the last page. Your books go very deep in my heart whether they are a testimony of your passed family life which in a lot of ways remind be so much of my own experiences back then when I was living in Cairo with my long gone family. I find that also your fiction is so very imaginative and brings out so many feelings.
I love your books so please keep writing.
Lots of Love dear Suzy
Onide Rizzitan
Congratulations for the web site, dear Suzy and best wishes for more success and creativity to come.
ReplyDeleteYour contribution to give us - the Egyptian Jews - a tangible and undeniable identity is most important. Bringing us from shadows to light is an outstanding accomplishment, which can be only applauded!
Thank you for being the voice of us all.
I have read every one of Sultana Latifah's books and have enjoyed them all. Through her writings she gives her readers a vivid insight into the ways of life of Egyptian Jews, their traditions, joys and tears both before and after their enforced departure from their homes and the land of their parents, grand parents and ancestors. Their life was never to be the same again, living as they have had to do far from the land of their birth; but they have struggled with courage and persistence to get back on their feet. Sadly, but inevitably, some have not succeeded, but many have found a new place in the sun, have built new lives and families, and have adapted with energy and enthusiasm - despite nostalgia and the pain of exile - to the land of their exile.
ReplyDeleteSir Martin Gilbert, (biographer of Sir Winston Churchill)
les bouquins de Sultana Latifa devraient être portés à l'écran, que ce soit au cinéma ou à la télévision.
ReplyDeleteJe suis sûre que cela ferait le délice de beaucoup de gens, émigrés comme nous, ou même émigrés d'ailleurs. Ces bouquins ont plusieurs couleurs: rouge pour le côté qui fait sourire ce côté joyeux humoristique, jaune
qui décrit l'amour, bleu le déchirement, la tristesse, les larmes, la couleur du bleu Nil, qui s'en va si loin..
Tout cela c'est notre Suzy nationale.. je dis nationale en parlant de NOTRE pays, l'Egypte j'entends, elle y est restée profondément attachée, malgré toutes les turpitudes qu'elle a dû subir. Mais le pays lui était le sien, et n'est pas responsable des autorités qui ont eu l'audace que dis-je - le crime - de le conduire là où il est...
Tout cela apparaît dans ces écrits, délice des lecteurs.
Touchy story Suzy… but again every one of our life stories in Egypt and after leaving Egpypt are touchy…. We all suffered tremendously but thank God, your parents and mine did not waste their misery for nothing, they suffered and we got everything we would have ever wished for in a much better and free land.
ReplyDeleteWarm blog.
Elie Kheder
Dear SULTANA LATIFA,
ReplyDeleteSalam form what was one day a Jannah, salam from Egypt.
Your words affected me in a great deal,
Specially that line which says:
I saw my empty Synagogue well guarded by numerous Shawish.
Then the tears gushed forward!
Wish you a happy new year!
Hi Suzy,
ReplyDeleteHaving lived the first seven years of my life at the Extaday Hotel, I could not believe my eyes when I first saw a reference to your book in Martin Gilbert’s “In Ishmael’s House”.
Having now read your Trilogy, I cannot thank you enough for bringing back such fond memories of the Extaday Hotel, of Cairo, of Egypt, and most particularly of Jewish life, culture, and custom in Egypt. You did it all in a most engaging and entertaining style.
You also brought back, in a detailed and realistic style, the more sombre memories of my youth, memories we all share: the hardships of a hasty departure from Egypt, in our case, emigration to Canada. You brought to life once again my parents’ struggle to adapt to a new culture, to adapt to a dramatically different climate, and for my mother in particular, a life-long struggle to learn to speak English. My father’s search for a job, a most demeaning exercise for a man nearing fifty, is also marvelously mirrored in your book. They did it all for us and we are eternally grateful.
And to you Suzy, once again, my most sincere thanks.
Claude Sassoon
My heartfelt thanks to all my readers
ReplyDeleteI also had comments from Egyptians, which for me is wonderful.
I am now in the third part of my life and am proud to have been able to make our plight known.
Rabena ye khalikom
sultana
Nеat blog! Iѕ your theme cuѕtom made or did you ԁownload it from somewhere?
ReplyDeleteA thеme lіke уours with a few simple adjustemеnts would really make my blog jump out.
Please let me know where yοu got yοur design.
Thanκs
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