Uncle Vitali was born in 1910, in Ankara, Turkey, to Eliya and Leona Arav. His other name was Halifa.
He had five sisters: Fanny (Luna), Korin, Ester, Rashel and Sara.

He married Aunt Roza Benardete, in 1932. Their children: Leyla-Lily and Eliya.

Vitali and Roza Safkan

In 1934, the family adopted a new family name: Safkan (a word in Turkish).

New family name in Turkish: In 1934, Turkey approved the "Surnames Law". According to this law, all families had to get a family name in the Turkish language. Consequently, Jewish families too had to accept new family names, in Turkish. The new family name Uncle Vitali and his family received was SAFKAN.

Uncle Vitali Safkan passed away on April 17, 1990, in Yalova, Turkey.

****************************************