Perspective: Letter from Russia
PERSPECTIVE LETTER FROM RUSSIA The following letter was sent to us by a subscriber who corresponds regularly with a family in the Soviet Union. We thought it worth sharing. Dear S. family, April...
...When in 1920s years our parents could go to Yiddish schools, in Stalin times they had not even to speak Yiddish...
...I remember when I was a little girl my mother made matzah-balls soup for Pesach and we ate matzah...
...She presented me a little silver locket with Mogen David which I've been keeping all these years...
...What about some progress there—we don't know when it will be reached...
...Through the letters from Israel and cards we could imagine its towns and kibbutzes, its nature...
...Well, they live in Israel already 7 years and to my great shame they absolutely don't know Hebrew except of some words...
...I hope it will help me (in any way) to see my parents...
...You asked how long did it take my parents to learn Hebrew...
...G. told the history of Pesach and explained to all the present the meaning of the symbols...
...Dear S. family, April 29, 1978 Your letter arrived just at the time of Pesach, very timely and very welcome...
...With much love from G. and girls...
...I read holiday prayers in Hebrew and in Russian and lit candles...
...At that time a Jewish music group from Israel arrived here firstly (in 1961, just before 6-days War...
...We had 20 friends who had mostly the first Seder in their life...
...We could went behind the scenes (I and my cousin who lived in Vilnus) and met Geula for some minutes...
...You are also mother, S., and daughter, and I hope that my wish is in human manner understandable for you...
...I remember when we met my first Shabbat, Kabbalat Shabbat (only three years ago) with a couple from New Jersey...
...We hope that times will change and our people will have this long-wait peace and happiness finally...
...Your letters, visits, letters from Israel could teach us...
...Being refuseniks we began to learn more about Israel and Jews, we began to interest in things that were dear for us...
...It was very important for all of us...
...But the roots of antisemitism go from past, also the black hundred's Government teach people to hate us...
...Despite of your words "they want the World to know how they are strong" they, to my opinion, made some mistakes to prevent peace efforts...
...I am so glad that my copy of the application has reached you...
...Even on Pesach we had no visitors...
...A little of history, a little of our sufferings, a little of the land that belongs to us...
...We sang Jewish songs and listened to Israel songs...
...She laughted and answered that she knows that before Jews made so but now in the Soviet country it is impossible...
...Generally, our Russian neighbors are not bad people mostly but there are some antisemits in our house who hate us...
...Father said that we must not eat bread on Pesach but I hid bread and ate...
...When we heard about this we went to Vilnus (within 3 hours by train...
...You were wondered how could we have matzos and know about the ceremony of Seder and Symbols and Haggadah and all...
...He liked it and asked for more...
...Our dear friend Col...
...Our grandparents knew less than their fathers, our fathers knew much less, we know nothing...
...You see, how difficult for us to break ourselves away from here, you see, nobody can help during years despite of all efforts and when the whole family cannot break the cage, maybe I myself will break it though for a month...
...Only you...
...Jews stayed Jews only in their Passports...
...Mother wrote me that the language is so difficult that maybe she will never learn it...
...Children and I were touched to know that we shall take part in your Seder after your likeness and together with you (our hearts were with you, indeed...
...As I have already told you, Jewish self-conciousness lifted after the 6-days War and the allyah from here began...
...I saw with smile how the Russian family enjoyed matzah-balls Jewish soup...
...Well, our Seder was observed with all tradition...
...R. (as the smallest child) asked 4 questions...
...Dear S, you asked whether we know of Shakespeare...
...They were not in Minsk, but in Vilnus (Lituania) where the Jewish community was always the strongest...
...Generally, visits are the most important...
...Our up bringing and our education made us to forget what was so dear for us...
...O. was the leading of the Seder...
...If not antisemitic and anti-Israel propaganga in radio, TV and newspapers, simple people would not be so cruel to us...
...To my great surprise she did cooked this soup for dinner...
...But children could not begin to think about this to share with friends with these thoughts, to read anywhere because at schools they learnt that "religion is opium for people...
...But you would ask, where could we find this when we had no books, no people who could tell us and teach...
...I answered nothing and treated her with matzah-balls soup...
...Your letters are very important, we read and re-read them many times and to many friends...
...In 1960s years were easier times not only for Jews but for all people in Russia (Khruschov—he was like Breznev now—gave some freedom for people...
...What could our fathers answer...
...Of course, I know this great English author...
...Unfortunately, this year they were so seldom...
...Her little son 6 years old came in and I gave him a piece of matzah...
...Before for each Pesach we had guests...
...It was unfor-getable night and very meaningful...
...We finished Soviet schools that stayed against all kinds of religion, to say nothing of Judaism...
...We discussed the exodus from Egypt and our exodus and find a lot of common...
...My neighbor (the door opposite) knocked on Sunday morning (in the second day of Pesach) and with a smile asked me for a piece of matzah to try...
...Later I noticed that we all ate bread and during some years we had not matzah for Pesach...
...People in Israel need peace, but nobody knows when it will be...
...It is difficult to find words to express my feelings at that time...
...I remember now Geula Gill, Israel singer that I enjoyed so much, though she sang in Hebrew...
...I have already told you that only in Jewish families between fathers and children could be different talks when children asked this everlasting question "Why we are Jews...
...I hope more people will know how we want to leave and how we cannot...
...They speak Yiddish and it helps them to intercourse in Israel...
...Of course, we didn't know about this before because we could not know...
...There I firstly heard Hebrew and loved...
...You must understand that the Soviet Power took everything away from Jews during 60 years of Soviet Power...
...We became refuseniks—the sad sense of this word can be understandable for you...
...Through the letters we could learn how our fellow Jews live in the other countries, how they live in Israel, how they celebrate holidays and which holidays...
...It was our first Pesach that was celebrated absolutely in all tradition...
...I taught the neighbors to cook soup with matzah-balls and gave her a bowl of matzah...
...Now, when the Pesach is over, I can say that this Pesach was the most exciting for all of us...
...When I studied at school we learnt his biography and his plays and tragedies in our lessons of English...
...Then we had holiday Pesach dinner and enjoyed matzah...
...We saw tears in many eyes...
...I asked her also with smile whether she was afraid to try because of blood that is in matzah...
...She wondered how the soup can be so nice from absolutely tasteless matzah and she asked me for the receipt...
...During these 60 years two generations have changed and the last generation could know nothing...
...Through visits we could learn much more and to understand a lot also they could bring us the most important things for our study...
...My parents have left among the first ones in Minsk...
...We celebrated here, in our flat...
...Also their action in Lebanon showed them too cruel to peaceful people that live there, though the action of Palestinian terrorists near Tel-Aviv was also terrible...
...If I have the permission just to go and to see my dear elderly parents I would have more strength to wait again and to continue struggling for the liberation of my whole family...
Vol. 3 • October 1978 • No. 10
