Biography
Rivka Feigen is the daughter of Elias Feigen and Astrid nee Newmann. Rivka was born on December 31, 1946 in Malmo, Sweden. Her father, Elias Feigen, was also born in Malmo on August 26, 1918, while her mother, Astrid Newmann was born in Goteborg, Sweden, September 29th, 1919. Her parents were married October 18, 1942 in Malmo. Father owned a men's clothing. Rivka has two siblings: Harriet, born November 25, 1943 and Roland, born March 23, 1952. The family was conservative and kept a kosher home. They belonged to the Jewish community in Sweden, and Rivka's father was the head and founder of the HaKoach sports club prior to his marriage. He also helped start a Jewish club Judiska Ungdon. Rivka's mother grew up in the town of Vanersborg and was the only Jewish family there. Her father also had a textile store. Rivka's father was drafted into the Swedish army in 1938 and then served in the reserves. In 1943 when Danish refugees came to Malmo, the family helped out. They housed one family for six weeks until Harriet was born. Other refugees lived with her grandparents Berte and David Neumann in Trondheim. Rivka immigrated to Israel in 1965 with a youth movement and lived on Kibbutz Lavi with the Bnei Akiva movement. She later studied to be a midwife and has one daughter.
