Hello everyone,
In My Roots, I wrote in details about my oldest aunt Shoshana, who traveled to Europe and adapted the idea of Vegetarianism, when she lived in Germany... While`staying in England for a couple if years, she got involved with the budding Suffragettes Movement (the original name of the Women Liberation Movement) After returning to Israel (rather Palestine as it was called then) Shoshana and her sisters became "Religious", almost Fanatic Vegetarians... It was said that Shoshana convinced her two younger sisters, that there is no need for any of them to get married and have a husband who will dominate and control them! After all, the two of them were known as respectable Midwives and she, was a Teacher and a Writer! The were financially independent and perfectly capable of taking care of themselves! My Three aunts, were clinging to their new ideology, with fanatic devotion, as if it was a religion! It seems now, that in a way, my poor aunts were many years ahead of their time! As they grew older, the people, in what was then a small, provincial country, used to criticize and ridiculed them... They became a subject of gossip and mockery; “Look at these three old maids!” the Married women would whispered to each other behind their backs. “It wasn’t good enough for them to get married and have kids, like the rest of us! They thought they were better! look at them now; Three unhappy and lonley Old Maids!”
After the three sisters could no longer work, they lived together in a small house, which my father, their youngest brother, bought for them...The other brother, my uncle Aron, who was a farmer, supplied all the fruit and vegetables they needed. Three times a year, my parents with my brother Romy and me, would travel from Jerusalem, by three buses, to my aunts home in Kfar Saba, the small village where they lived. My ten years old brother, used to protest whenever he heard we were going to visit our aunts and was reprimanded by our parents, who told him he should be nice and respectful towards his old and lonley aunts, who had no kids of their own and who loved us very much!
Besides avoiding meat, vegans avoid any kind of chemicals, which may be used in food or on the human skin... My three aunts, washed their bodies and hair with olive oil soap only! For the same reason, they wouldn't wear any lipstick or dye their white hair... As I was looking at their wrinkled faces, framed by white hair, they seemed to my five years old fertile imagination, to be Three Witches, like those I saw in the fairy tales stories... To complete the picture, one of them was always busy in the kitchen, stirring some Brew in a large pot, with a long wooden spoon. There was a strong smell of cabbage, garlic and other strange and unpleasant odors, in the little house of the "Three Witches" which made me cringe, whenever they tried to kiss me... We were constantly told by them, what we have already heard repeatedly from our own parents: "Don't ever eat Candy, Ice cream, Popsicle, Cookies or Cakes!!! Remember that Refined Sugar and White Flour are pure Poison!" They also insisted that we chew our food slowly and count up to thirty before swallowing!
On one of our visits, my brother and I were sitting at the table, eating our veterinarian desert, of grated carrots with lemon juice, cinnamon and honey, which was actually tasty, compared with the other dishes we were served before... Our aunt Lea, was standing next to us counting, to make sure we chew properly and not swallowing the food, before she comes to thirty, to make sure we digest properly... Suddenly, Rami burst into an uncontrolled laughter, spewing the food in his mouth, all over the table and the floor! I was so afraid I'll do the same, that I swallowed my food in one gulp, way before aunt Leah counted ten... Later, on the bus back to Jerusalem, Rami told our parents, that this was the last time he is going to the house of these three insane witches! My father reprimanded him for making fun of our poor aunts and my mom wiped a tear, as she always did, when we talked about her three poor "sisters in law... "This is what happens to people who have too much education, they end up lonely, without a family of their own!" She would say, glancing me to make sure I heard her...
As I was growing up, my mom was terrified that I may end up like one of my aunts... She claimed that she saw too many similarities between Shoshana and me: A thirst for knowledge, a gifts of writing and especially my conversational skills... The fact that when I was in High school, some of my short stories began to appear in a local youth magazine, added to my mother's concerns, and so did my plans to travel abroad when I grow up, in order to see the world! "Ima" would particularly get upset, when I was expressing my distaste, whenever the subject of marriage came up... "Just like Shoshana..." she would whisper in my dad's ear, casting a worried look at my direction. Years later, when my brother was around fifteen years old, I came back home after visiting a friend, and walked at the middle of a dramatic scene.... My father was yelling, my mom was crying and my fourteen years old brother, was very pale, cringing at the end of the sofa, with his head bowed down... My hysterical parents found out, that instead of going to school, Rami was spending his days in the movie theater! The worst of it, was the fact that in order to buy the tickets, he sold his schoolbooks!!! My heart was aching when I saw my older brother looking scared and defeated... I felt very sorry for him, even though he used to insult me by calling me an Idiot, when I couldn't solve my math homework... Now, I actually admired his courage to do what he did! After all, how can one compare sitting in the classroom, to sitting in the movie theater!
Rami grew up to be a handsome young man, trying to look like Clark Gabble, his movie star idle... He was talking about going to America, after his military service... (probably dreaming about becoming a movie star.) It never happened... Rami and his girlfriend Dalia, decided to get married, shortly after he completed his military service and began to work in Bank Discount, where he would eventually became a vice president and stay there until his retirement...
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| Hollywood, CA |
Clark Gable | Rami | A movie theater |
Dalia and Rami's wedding |
I clearly remember some of my visits to my brother and sister-in-law's small rented apartment. Rami was twenty three and Dalia nineteen, when they had their first baby, about a year later the second son was on the way... Most of the old furniture in their apartment, which were donated by family members, did not match and the color combination was an eye sore... In the winter, cloth diapers were hanging on a rope, across the living room, above a portable kerosene heater (no "Pampers" in those days). The floor was always littered with toys... Once, my dad almost broke his neck, when he stepped on a small fire engine with six wheels, and started to zigzag on the tile floor, speeding out of control towards the kitchen... Whenever I came for a visit, wearing my military uniforms, I often met Rami and Dalia’s friends, who came for a visit with their own babies... Over coffee, tea and Dalia's home baked cakes, the conversation was mostly about the babies colds, stomach aches, new teeth and dipper rash. After a while, the couples would begin to talk about their common dream, of getting out of their small and crowded rented apartments and buy their own condominium... After listening to words like Loans, Payments, Mortgage, Interest Rates and Collateral... I would excuse myself and go to the next room, to play with my baby nephew Eran, staying there until he fell asleep... I was convinced that the way my brother and his friends lived, was not for me! It didn’t occur to me, that these young couples were very happy, loved each other and their babies and enjoyed building their nest and future together... I didn’t know then, that through hard work, Rami and Dalia would eventually achieve their dream of leaving the rented apartment and through out the years, will sell, buy and upgrade three condos, which were beautifully furnished and decorated with love and good taste...
My military service finally came to an end! I started to work and save money for my up coming trip to the US... For almost a year I worked at two jobs: Teaching school in the morning and in the evenings working at a Youth Club, with kids who lived in poverty and crime stricken neighborhoods... My dream of traveling was becoming a reality, with every check I deposited in the bank. I was very excited, however my biggest concern was how to support myself when I arrive to the US... I once read that "What we call 'Coincidence', is actually God’s way of remaining anonymous..." One Saturday morning, my father was enjoying his day of rest, sitting in his favorite reclining chair and reading the weekend newspaper... He suddenly called me over, to look at an add from a Jewish congregation in Texas, which was looking for a teacher of Hebrew and Jewish studies...
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| Dan Carmel Hotel |
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| Postcard of Dan Hotels |
Two days later, I was on the train to Haifa, the beautiful city on the shore of the Mediterranean sea... At the lobby X of the grand hotel Dan Carmel where I met with an elegant older lady, Mrs. Klein. She and her husband, who were traveling in Israel, volunteered to interview potential teachers for their Temple Hebrew School. The two of us set in the plush and spacious lobby, where we drank tea and talked... Mrs. Klien told me about the temple and the Hebrew school attached to it, and handed me the curriculum to look it over... I presented copies of my teaching credentials and letters of recommendations, given to me by the school principle, were I worked during the day and others, by the Youth Club director where I worked in the evenings... Mrs. Klein told me, that there are several other candidates for this job job, "however, so far you are my favorite!" she said. "You definitely have good taste, Mrs. Klein," I answered, and we bouth laughed. This lovely lady promised to call the congregation's president that very evening and phone me the following day, with the final answer...
I was unable to sleep most of the night, waiting for the call ,which came the next morning, with the news that the job is mine! This lovely lady told me that I was chosen over the other applicants, mainly because I planned to study at the university for my BA, which would take four years. "This way, we can count on you as a teacher in our Hebrew school, for more than just one year, as it happened before, with previous teachers... I am looking forward to see you in Texas!" she said before hanging up and my heart almost burst with joy and relief! Was it just a coincidence, that my father happened to see the add in the paper? Was it another coincidence, when my mother’s cousin Zipora, who lived in Germany, came for a visit a week later and upon hearing my planed trip to Europe, before I continue to the US, invited me to stay with her and her husband, for as long as I wish? Everything was falling into place! I felt as if a magic carpet is landing at my feet, ready to fly me towards my destiny!
During my childhood, I have heard about my mother's cousin Zipora and her tragic story... My mom and her grew up in the same small village. Zipora was two years younger and the two of them were very close. Zipora was known to be the most beautiful girl in the village... She met and married a man who lived in Tel Aviv, the big city and moved there... During those days, Tel Aviv was considered to be the largest and most "European" city in Palestine, especially in compression with their small village... Zipora finally accomplished her dream, of getting away from the small village and live in the big city, with their little girl... Rumors said, that Zipora's husband was "Doing business with the British..." who were very popular and admired, during that period of time, for liberating our country from the cruel and primitive rule of Turkey, the Ottoman Empire, during the First World War. Zipora and her husband, became very involved with the British occupiers... She became known, not only as one of the most beautiful women in Tel Aviv, but as one of it's top hostesses! It was said, that her home was always full with High Society People; English officers and their wive, as well as known Israeli writers, poets and musicians...
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| Ready to FLY!!! |
My extended family and friends, could not get over my courage of traveling by myself, to such far away places! Some were envious, not only because of my trip, but mainly at my ability to resist the pressure of Marriage... Every young Israeli’s dream, was to travel out of our tiny country and see the world, before settling down...There were goodbye parties, given by my friends and family members, where I was showered with small gifts; ("Easy to travel with..." ) There were hugs, tears, advice and good wishes, mixed with a bit of envy and admiration... "Don't forget us! Make sure to write!" I was told as they hugged and kissed me good by. Some were crying, as if I was moving to the moon, or to another planet... I on the other hand, was intoxicated with joy and a sense of accomplishment, as I was getting ready to embark on this biggest and most exciting adventure of my life!
With Love and Light,
Shira
