Distinctive Jewish badge (yellow star button) that the Jews of Bulgaria were forced to wear on their clothing by order of the German authorities.
![Jewish badge that belonged to Rachel Baruch née Ashkenazi from the city of Varna, Bulgaria](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image/public/15154_A-1200_0.jpg?itok=sX7iYMpi)
During the war, Rachel and her parents fled Varna wandering from village to village within Bulgaria. At the end of the war, her father passed away due to illness, and Rachel and her mother returned to Varna. Rachel resumed her academic studies and married Avraham Baruch. On 18 February 1948 the couple boarded the "Bonim Velohamim" ship in Yugoslavia that was diverted by the British to the Cyprus detention camps, where they remained until their entry into Israel was permitted.
Yad Vashem Artifacts Collection
Courtesy of Rachel (Ashkenazi) Baruch, Tel-Aviv, Israel
![Jewish badge that belonged to Rachel Baruch née Ashkenazi from the city of Varna, Bulgaria](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/15154_A-1200_0.jpg?itok=MSfFBHNv)
![Rachel Baruch wearing the Yellow Star button on her clothing, Bulgaria, 1943](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/main_image/public/02_503.jpg?itok=UyxjcSkG)
Yad Vashem Photo Archives, 12121/1
![Rachel Baruch wearing the Yellow Star button on her clothing, Bulgaria, 1943](https://www.yadvashem.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/02_503.jpg?itok=oYPl40jk)