Moise & Charlotte Srulevici
| Town/City | Melbourne |
|---|---|
| First name | Moise & Charlotte |
| Last name | Srulevici |
| Country of Origin | Bessarabia, Russia |
| Date of Birth | 1906, 1907 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1939 |
| Submitted by | Nina Cole (nee Rulevich) |
Story
Moise and Charlotte Srulevici
My parents were born in the area of Russia known as Bessarabia: my father, Moishe (1906) the son of the Rezina dentist, my mother Sarlota (1907), daughter of a draper in the Black Sea port Odessa. The Russian Revolution meant both families fled to settle in Bucharest, Romania – my mother suffered immersion whilst fleeing on foot across the very wide, icy River Dniester. My father completed his general schooling in Bucharest and as a 20 year-old graduated as an electrical mechanic from the Technical Institute, Caen, France. In comparison, my mother attended only one year of school Ð as a 14year-old she attended a Girls\’ Academy. She then spent many years as a hand embroideress in a Bucharest linen factory.
After their marriage in 1931, my parents continued living in Bucharest where my sister Edith was born in 1935. As the situation in Europe deteriorated, my parents applied for assisted passage to Australia. The young family embarked from Trieste travelling on S.S. Oronsay. Household goods packed in Tea cases included a tailored morning suit for Dad! So much for following bad advice, needless to say it was never worn. World War 2 was declared whilst the ship berthed in Colombo, Ceylon. They arrived in Melbourne 1st October 1939 and settled in rented premises behind a shop in Hughesdale, near Oakleigh.
My father quickly assimilated by working for the Harbour Trust Ð a document of employment states he began work on 3rd October 1939. His co-workers told him: ‘Rulie, you will barrack for Carlton!\’
Learning English was not easy for my mother who was based at home however by the time I (Nina) was born in 1945, English was the lingua franca in our home except when there was a heated discussion. In 1946, our family name was changed by deed poll to the phonetic Rulevich.
My parents always spoke of Australia as a wonderful refuge from the dark days of 1930\’s Europe. They both loved the Victorian bush and established lifelong friendships with other migrant families as well as hard-working Australians.