Pictures of Jewish Home-Life Fifty Years Ago | Page 9

with good things by the time Purim is over; and, as they never
pass a door without begging, they are not likely to be disappointed.
"The fun I enjoyed best was the uncovering of our plates and seeing
what Shalach-monus had been sent to us. A cap had been sent to Father,
made of velvet, with tails of sable and other skins round it. Father felt
very downcast, for he did not at all like the idea of giving up wearing
the high hat that he always wore in London on Sabbaths and holidays.
Whether he will wear the velvet schtramel or not I cannot tell, but I will
wait and see who wins--Father or the community--for we have some
idea who sent it.
"Mother received a beautiful, soft silk kerchief to wear on her head, and
it seemed a sign that the community wanted her to put her wig aside
and wear a kerchief instead. I was most thankful they did not send me a
pair of scissors. If they had, I should have thought they wanted me to
cut my plaits off. Well, I should have fought for my hair as I would for
life!
"In the afternoon I went to visit some friends, and I found a house full
of men, young and old, with their schtramel on their heads, and their

kaftans tied back, singing at the very top of their voices (and some have
very fine voices); others were clapping their hands, while eight men,
four on each side, were dancing what looked like a pantomime ballet
that I once went to. It was simply grand to watch them, for some were
old men with long, white beards, while others were serious-looking
young men who are to be seen daily in the street walking to and from
their homes and Shules, always deep in thought and so very
serious-looking that you would imagine that they did not know how to
smile. Here they were, on this Purim afternoon, dancing with all their
might, and with bright, smiling eyes! You could see it was not wine
that had made them bright and cheery: it was the spirit, or fire, of their
religious zeal commemorating with thankfulness the anniversary of the
day when their nation was saved from destruction. Of course I was too
fascinated watching them at the time to think this was the reason for
this unusual sight.
"After a while, they went to pay visits to the Rav and to others who
were scholars or pious men in the community. Often when walking to
the various houses they would catch hold of others and dance with
them in the open streets as you see children doing when an
organ-grinder plays.
"I was so attracted by them, and so was everyone who saw them, that
we followed them at a respectful distance. Sometimes someone had had
a little too much wine when visiting and it had gone to his head. Then
some of the party would say: 'Ah well, it is Purim--there is no shame.'
"I told Father this when I returned home, and he explained to me that
their rejoicing during Purim did not mean simply a material
satisfaction--it was a spiritual rejoicing, as on Simhath Torah, when the
Reading of the Law was started again, so that during Purim and
Simhath Torah allowance is made if a little more wine is taken than is
usually the case.
"Then we had Purim Schpielers, who visited every house, dressed up
very funnily and full of jokes; some acted, and some were disguised. In
fact, it was the happiest Purim I have ever spent, and I doubt if there is
any other place where it could be spent so happily. For here in
Jerusalem we are all like one large family: respect is paid to the
righteous and to worthy scholars, whether they are poor or rich. Money
has not the same power here. There is a good deal of quarrelling and

mischief going on among our female neighbours, but the quarrels are
not very serious but more like quarrels in a large family. In another
letter I will write about our 'Female Club.'"

THE BAKING OF THE MATZOS
Friday evening came round again, and the friends of the Jacob family
were comfortably seated in the bright cellar-kitchen, eagerly waiting to
hear another letter read, for old and young were equally interested in
hearing details of life in Palestine so many years ago.
On coming in with a letter Mr Jacob said: "As preparation for the
Passover is not far off, I think it will interest you to hear how it was
done in Palestine."
They all agreed, so he began:
"My dear Jacob,--Please forgive my not having written sooner, but I
have really been too busy.