ITALKIM – Fouad Blanga, the final farewell
“I always thought it was better to go through hell at work than live in paradise at home,” recalled Fouad Blanga to Pagine Ebraiche in 2011. At the age of 85, he continued to go to his factory in Tribiano, in the Milan area, every day. This factory was the culmination of years of experience in the trade of skins and animal gut. It marked the final chapter of a life characterized by a strong sense of initiative, resilience in the face of persecution, and the ability to start anew. Born in Damascus in 1913, Fouad was the youngest of ten brothers. His nearly century-long story ended at the age of 98. “My grandfather was always sharp and careful. A fun-loving man, who cherished his work and enjoyed telling jokes,” remarked his granddaughter Viviane Blanga. “Almost 15 years ago, he moved from Milan to Israel. For the Blanga family, his passing marks the end of an era that began with his father David.”
Viviane’s grand grandfather founded David Blanga and Sons, a business specializing in the trade of skins, in Damascus at the beginning of the 20th century. Fouad was born there and was eager to start working early in life. “Although I came from a prosperous family, I wanted to earn a living, so I left the grand building of the school, the Alliance Francaise in Damascus, to pursue my career in the trade of skins and gut,” he told Pagine Ebraiche. In Damascus he found his life companion in the beloved Bida Tachè, whom he married in 1947.
The following year, however, the family was forced to flee Syria due to antisemitic violence that erupted with the birth of the State of Israel. They settled in Beirut, but in 1969 amid the tense atmosphere following Israel’s overwhelming victory in the Six-Day War, they were compelled to emigrate once more.
Their new destination in Milan, where two of Bida’s brothers, Marco and Clement, Fouad’s brother Elie and the sons of his brother Selim were already residing. So begins the chapter of the company in Tribiano. Through the years, the factory was gradually handed over to his children, culminating in Fouad’s decision to move to Israel. Despite all these upheavals and reconstructions, he never lost his optimism and faith. “My grandfather had an adventurous and not always easy life, but he always maintained a smile,” emphasized Viviane. Speaking to Pagine Ebraiche, Fouad summarized the philosophy of his nomadic existence: “I believe it’s very important to have good relationships with everyone, and I instilled in my children the belief that with agreement, anything is possible. Arguing hurts the soul.”