Albert Salomon (musician)
{{short description|Israeli troubadour, accordion player and social activist (1935-2020)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Albert Salomon
| image = אלברט סלומון - אלברט הבולגרי - 2.jpg
| alt = Albert Salomon, aka "Albert the Bulgarian", 2013
| caption = Albert Salomon, aka "Albert the Bulgarian", 2013
| native_name = אלברט סלומון
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1935|07|21}}
| birth_place = Sofia, Kingdom of Bulgaria)
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|11|20|1935|07|21}}
| death_place = Tel Aviv, Israel
| native_name_lang = he
| other_names = {{hlist|Albert the Bulgarian|Albert the Upholsterer|Betona|Betko}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Upholsterer}}
| years_active = 1955–2020
| known_for = {{hlist|singing|playing accordion|social activism}}
| notable_works =
}}
Albert Salomon ({{langx|he|אלברט סלומון}}; July 21, 1935 – November 20, 2020), also known as "Albert the Bulgarian" ({{langx|he|אלברט הבולגרי}}), was a Bulgarian-Israeli accordion player and social activist. He was also known for aiding the homeless in Tel Aviv for which he was recognized as a beloved resident of the city. Salomon used to throw street parties on a regular basis at his former upholstery shop in Tel Aviv and would invite the homeless under his care to come and attend.{{cite web |last1=Matar |first1=Hagay |title="He Remained a Communist": Tel Aviv Street Party Star Celebrates 76 |url=https://www.makorrishon.co.il/nrg/online/54/ART2/241/098.html |publisher=Makor Rishon |access-date=27 December 2020 |language=he |date=16 May 2011}}{{cite web |title=Albert Salomon - "Albert the Bulgarian" |url=http://www.thebulgarianjews.org.il/?CategoryID=353&ArticleID=596 |publisher=The Bulgarian Jews |access-date=27 December 2020 |language=he}}{{cite web |last1=Katz |first1=Adi |title=Memories from Bulgaria |url=https://www.motke.co.il/%D7%96%D7%99%D7%9B%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%92%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%94 |publisher=Motk'e |access-date=27 December 2020 |language=he |date=22 October 2012}}
Biography
Albert Salomon was born July 21, 1935, in Sofia, Bulgaria to Jacob and Regina Salomon. He had a younger sister named Beatrice.{{cite web |title=Albert Salomon Z"L |work=מודעות אבל |url=https://www.avelim.co.il/%D7%90%D7%9C%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%98-%D7%A1%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%96%D7%9C |access-date=27 December 2020 |language=he |date=22 November 2020}} In 1943, during the Holocaust, Salomon was deported to the Somovit labor camp while many of his family members were murdered. From 1944–1948, Salomon was a member of the "Young Communists" in Bulgaria.{{cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-for-israeli-pinkos-communism-and-palestinian-rights-go-hand-in-hand-1.5627369|title=For Israeli Pinkos, Communism and Palestinian Rights Go Hand in Hand|first=Roy|last=Arad|publisher=Haaretz|date=2 December 2017|access-date=28 December 2020}} During the mass migration in 1948, Salomon immigrated to Israel through Yugoslavia along with his family and settled in Bat Yam and Jaffa where most of the Bulgarian Jews had settled.{{cite book|last=Haskell |first=Guy H.|title=From Sofia to Jaffa: The Jews of Bulgaria and Israel|isbn=978-0814344064|date=5 February 2018|publisher=Wayne State University Press}}
During his army service, Salomon served in a minority unit and participated in an ambush against infiltrators from Egypt. Salomon was recognized by the sector commander and also received a letter of recognition from the late president of Israel, Itzhak Ben-Zvi.
Despite having been an accomplished student back in Bulgaria, Salomon was confronted with assimilation difficulties and was forced to help and provide for the family at a young age. He apprenticed in the upholstery trade with his father and worked alongside him in the family-owned business on Merkaz Ba'alei Melacha Street in Tel Aviv. Salomon would go on to inherit his father's business.{{cite web |last1=Gruber |first1=Freddy |title=Albert Salomon - News Segment by Freddy Gruber - Israel Channel 1 |date=25 December 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taPQIntuSzU |publisher=Israel Channel 1 |access-date=27 December 2020 |language=he}}
Salomon received country-wide recognition for his musical performances while playing the accordion. Salomon knew over 600 folk songs which he sang in Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian and Hebrew.
Salomon would go on to be featured in articles, TV and radio talk shows and participated in discussion panels alongside many well-known celebrities such as Alex Ansky, Yossi Alphy, Albert Cohen, Dov Elbaum, Eli Yatzpan, Gidi Gov, Freddy Gruber in addition to being featured in various short films and documentaries.{{cite web |title=Street Culture: Chapter 40 | date=13 October 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS0Eb-sR6O4 |publisher=Kan Educational |access-date=27 December 2020 |language=he}}{{cite web |last1=Inbar |first1=Rina |title=Abir HaIr (Knight of the City) by Rina Inbar |website=YouTube |date=2 April 2011 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svUU1R_4JLM |access-date=27 December 2020 |language=he}}{{cite web |title=Albert's Morning Routine | website=YouTube | date=8 November 2011 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkaQh82WDZI |access-date=27 December 2020 |language=he}}
Albert Salomon died on November 20, 2020, leaving behind three children and seven grandchildren. Hundreds of people attended his funeral.
A month after Salomon's death, a street party was held at his old upholstery shop location in his honor{{cite web |title=Event photos | website=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2731804897086200&id=1592757210990980|access-date=27 December 2020}} and was attended by street residents, family and friends. A commemorative plaque in his honor was unveiled to the attendees.{{cite web |title=Commemorative Plaque |website=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/AlbertHaBulgari/photos/pcb.2731804897086200/2731804750419548/ |access-date=27 December 2020}}
In May 2022, his wife of nearly sixty years, Shosh, passed away and was buried in the couple's plot.
Social activism
Salomon would often take care of the homeless. In the backyard of his upholstery shop compound, Salomon would put up beds, made sure running water and hygiene facilities were in place and provided clothing for his homeless guests. For his work, Salomon was nominated to be recognized as a beloved city resident by Tel Aviv Municipality which claimed that the paperwork was not submitted on time.
At his upholstery shop in Tel Aviv, Salomon would throw street parties on a daily basis every Friday afternoon, where he would play the accordion and put out a spread of food and drinks for the homeless who were invited to attend.
In 2019, following protests against the closure of Jerusalem Avenue in Jaffa, Mayor Ron Huldai was asked about Albert Salomon (Albert the Bulgarian) who used to frequent the avenue and play his accordion. Huldai replied that "Another Bulgarian will come along". In response, Salomon stated that it was hard for him to accept this especially since Huldai was a personal close friend and that he had lived in Tel Aviv since 1948.{{cite web |last1=Zror |first1=Rino |title="The Lives of the Residents Aren't Worth a Penny": Ron Huldai Refuses to Listen to Jaffa Residents |work=גלצ |url=https://glz.co.il/%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%A6/%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%95-%D7%A6%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A8/%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%95-%D7%A6%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A826-06-2019-1001/%D7%97%D7%99%D7%99-%D7%94%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%9C%D7%90-%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%95%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%98%D7%94-%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%97%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%93%D7%90%D7%99-%D7%9E%D7%A1%D7%A8%D7%91-%D7%9C%D7%94%D7%A7%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%91-%D7%9C%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%91%D7%99-%D7%99%D7%A4%D7%95 |publisher=Galey Zahal |access-date=27 December 2020 |language=he}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons category|Albert Salomon}}
- {{Facebook|AlbertHaBulgari}}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-for-israeli-pinkos-communism-and-palestinian-rights-go-hand-in-hand-1.5627369|title=For Israeli Pinkos, Communism and Palestinian Rights Go Hand in Hand|first=Roy|last=Arad|publisher=Haaretz|date=2 December 2017|access-date=28 December 2020}}
- {{cite web |last1=Matar |first1=Hagay |title="He Remained a Communist": Tel Aviv Street Party Star Celebrates 76 |url=https://www.makorrishon.co.il/nrg/online/54/ART2/241/098.html |publisher=Makor Rishon |access-date=27 December 2020 |language=he |date=16 May 2011}}
- {{YouTube|taPQIntuSzU|Albert Salomon - News Segment by Freddy Gruber - Israel Channel 1}}
- {{YouTube|PS0Eb-sR6O4|Street Culture: Chapter 40}}
- {{YouTube|svUU1R_4JLM|Abir HaIr (Knight of the City) by Rina Inbar}}
- {{YouTube|KkaQh82WDZI|Albert's Morning Routine}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salomon, Albert}}
Category:Bulgarian emigrants to Israel
Category:Israeli people of Bulgarian-Jewish descent
Category:Jewish Israeli musicians
Category:Bulgarian Jews in Israel
Category:20th-century Israeli Jews
Category:21st-century Israeli Jews
Category:Israeli accordionists
Category:20th-century Israeli male musicians