Rahela Perisic with her ken members

The picture was taken in Banja Luka in 1938. Pictured are members of the Zionist youth organization which we called Ken. Standing from left to right are: Puba Lihnstain, me, next to me is Flora Levi. Kneeling are: Rena Atijas, Puba Kabiljo. Unfortunately, everyone in this picture except myself were killed during the Holocaust.

In Banja Luka my sisters Flora, Judita and I continued our schooling in the gymnasium. Immediately after our arrival we joined the Zionist youth organization, popularly known as Ken. Next to the Temple there was a space in which the Jewish youth from all of Banja Luka gathered. We learned Hebrew, history of the Jewish nation. We had teachers who taught us Jewish songs and dances. I remember how we danced the Hora and other dances with such fervor. Often we organized day trips to picnic sites in the area. With us younger kids there were always older boys and girls and a leader who took strict care about our behavior. When we passed through the town everyone knew that we were Jews because we were dressed in clean clothes, not luxuriously, but very neat, and we were always well behaved.