The history of the Biazi family

Family history – Abraham and Esther Biazi lived in Dirbakir located in Turke, Believers in the Zionism and lovers of Eretz Israel. in 1933 the family decided to emigrate to Palestine. They sold all their possessions in order to pay local smugglers who would get them and there children: Rebeka, Eliyahu and Ovadia over the borders, by donkey via Syria and Lebanon and then by raft to Haifa. After reaching Haifa the family continued by horse-drawn carts for Jerusalem.

Biazi family settled in the Moslem neighborhood of Sheikh-Bader, overlooking Nachlaot.

At the end of a year the Biazi family managed to purchase the house on Kfar-Karam Street located in the “Nachalat Achim” neighborhood. The interior of the house was made of wood and covered in sheet metal to protect it from the wind and rain. In the small courtyard the family raised chickens and goats which grazed in the open fields of Sheikh-Badar (on which today stands the Supreme Court and Sacher Park).

In time Abraham and Esther opened a neighborhood grocery store in their home and for the use of the residents, installed the neighborhood’s first running water faucet.  Abraham served as the gabbai for the “Tifereth Israel” synagogue, located on Bezalel Street and which is still active today.

Eliyahu Biazi was born on Tu B’shvat 1929 in the village of Dirbakir located in Turkey.

Both as a child and a youth, Eliyahyu was helped his father in providing for the family by working at various jobs such as hauling heavy items and by building sites.

At age 10 Eliyahu began working as an apprentice at the “Berman” Bakery and became an expert in baking European cream cakes and cakes for all sorts of occasions.

When he was 15 Eliyahu enlisted in the Gadna (the pre-military youth movement) and began to train in anticipation of the upcoming War of Independence. Upon the declaration of the State he received his papers to report to the “Haganah” and left with a platoon of soldiers to protect Jerusalem.  For the remainder of the War Eliyahu was assigned to the “Jerusalem Department” of the 6^th Battalion of the Palmach. As part of the Har’El Brigade, the Battalion in which Eiyahu fought engaged in battles throughout the city and the immediate environs and strived to break the blockade on the besieged city.

During the war years the house on Kfar Baram Street served as a “slick” for arms and ammunition.

Geula Mizrahi was born in 1930, the daughter of Shaul and Mazal, 7^th generation in Eretz Israel and the 6^th. She grew up on Hyrmuch Street in the Zichron Yosef neighborhood.

At age 12 Geula dropped out of school in order to clean homes to help with the family’s income. At age 14 she joined the “Working and Studying Youth” Movement where she met Eliyahu Biazi.

When she turned 17 Geula began studying to be a caretaker and upon receiving her diploma started working at Hadassah Hospital in the Pediatrics and Maternity Ward.

In 1948, on the eve of Eliyahu’s departure for the war, he and Geula became engaged and upon his return they married and moved in with Eliyahu’s parents in the house on Kfar Baram Street

Geula and Eliyahu had three children: the eldest Eti, named for her grandmother Esther Biazi, Avi, named for his grandfather Abraham Biazi, and the youngest, Mimi, named for her grandmother Mazal Mizrahi.



In 1963 Eliyahu and Geula purchased a store on Yesheyahu Street near the Edison Cinema where they established the “Ma’adan” Delicatessen and where they worked together until 1984.

Eli and Geula's son, Abraham (Avi), upon completion of his military service, joined the security forces as an intelligence officer in the Minorities Division of the Israeli Police. His dedication to his work resulted in many achievements and earned him the admiration and respect of his friends and colleagues.

On January 30, 1986, after exposing their activities, Avi was murdered by a gang of drug dealers in the Silwan neighborhood of Jerusalem.

From that day on life changed for the Biazi family. Eliyahu and Geula returned to work in the delicatessen as a means of easing some of the unbearable pain due to Avi’s death. In 1995 they retired and Geula began volunteering at Yad Sarah where she contributed from her time for 15 years. Eliyahu, who was gifted with an amazing creative talent, set up a wood shop on the roof of the house, purchased tools and spent most of the next years learning the trade of creative wood making. He dedicated his creations to Avi’s memory and donated many to the Police station where Avi served.