This post was originally scheduled for 7 September 2013, as part of the now-discontinued Sweet Saturday Samples bloghop. It comes from an older version of the book formerly known as The Very First, which has since undergone even more edits.
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In loving memory of the one and only Keith John Moon, greatest drummer ever, who passed from this life, far too early, 35 years ago today.
In honour of Rosh Hashanah, which spanned 4-6 September this year, this week’s post comes from my chronological first Atlantic City book, The Very First. (I know it needs a much better title, but after over 20 years, I just can’t think of it by any other name!) Chapter 12, “High Holy Days,” covers the full cycle of the fall holidays in 1938.
New immigrant Sparky (real name Katherine) is struggling to fit into her new town and American life. Her new best friend Cinnimin, whom her family lives with, thinks Sparky should make some compromises to be a real American girl. Each girl tries to convince the other, in a respectful way, of the merits of her side.
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Monday after school, Cinni was skipping stones at the pond with Tina and Gayle when the Smalls appeared on the horizon, along with a bunch of other people Cinni didn’t recognize. When she saw the man with the beard, she figured it must be their rabbi. None of the other gentlemen had beards. Perhaps he felt it were his duty to set an example and appear very religious on behalf of everyone else. As it was, beards seemed so pre-modern, on a man of any religion.
“Would you like to skip stones with us?” Cinni asked. “It’s nice how your folks ain’t against having fun on a holiday. I’ve heard some Christians in the olden days useta just sit and read the Bible on holidays and Sundays, and wouldn’t let their kids play or listen to music.”
“We’re not here to have fun,” Barry said, sneaking a look at Cinni. “We’re here for tashlich.”
“We’re going to throw crumbs into the water to symbolically cast off our sins,” Gary explained.
“Don’t you get rid of your sins by doing all that praying? And I know you fast on Yom Kippur. This seems like a silly superstition, like sacrificing children or spitting to ward off the evil eye.”
“It’s not meant to take the place of prayer and repentance,” Barry said. “It’s just a nice ritual done in addition to praying. Some really religious folks spin a chicken or fish around their heads to transfer their sins to the animal. We’re not nearly that goofy.”
“Barry and I are too young to fast on Yom Kippur,” Sparky said as the adults assembled a short distance from them. “We’re encouraged to not eat for part of the day, but we’re not supposed to fast the entire day before we’re obligated to keep all the commandments. But Barry will be bar mitzvah in January. He’ll have to do it next year.”
“Would you like to come to my bar mitzvah party? I’ll give you a seat of honor at my table.”
“Sure, that sounds fun. I ain’t a fan of most religion, but if there’s a party involved, it can’t be that boring.”
Cinni moved to another part of the pond with Gayle and Tina and continued skipping stones. They watched the ceremony out of the corners of their eyes.
“I don’t understand what in the world they’re doing, or why, but I think it’s neat,” Gayle declared as she selected a round, flat gray stone and skipped it quite a distance across the water. “I wish Methodism had rituals like that. I like religions with fun stuff.”
“Why do you even read about religion?” Tina asked. “It’s grownup stuff. Grownup stuff is boring. I only like reading stuff like comic books and magazine stories.”
“I like opening my mind to new worlds. I don’t wanna look like some stupid American who only cares about her own culture and community. When I grow up, I’d like a job where I can use my interest in these things. Maybe I’ll be a fortuneteller or an astrologer. Or maybe I can do what Mrs. Malspur does in her séance room, only make money for it.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever thought about what I really wanna do when I’m a grownup.” Cinni pulled a candybar out of her skirt pocket, ripped off the wrapper, and took a huge bite. “For now, all I wanna do is fill my stomach and have fun.”
They watched the man they assumed to be the rabbi reading from a prayerbook as some of the group followed along in their own prayerbooks or from memory. At the conclusion of the brief prayer service, someone passed around a bag of breadcrumbs mixed with fish food, and people took turns going to the water’s edge to cast the crumbs into it. Cinni noticed that there weren’t many young people in the group. Sparky probably felt lonely.
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