Before they leave the village forever, Reisa and Jacob make a quick stop at the cemetery to be melodramatic. Again, you can tell lots of research went into this:
Reisa took her grandfather's arm, and the two of them walked to the Jewish graveyard. It was set off from the main part of the cemetery.
First of all, a graveyard and cemetery are the same thing. Second, this is a mighty ecumenical cemetery system going on here. Funny how there aren't separate graveyards like, oh, everywhere else in Jewish Europe.
There were no flowers this time of the year, of course, but in the spring and summer Reisa would bring wildflowers of all kinds to place on the graves of her grandmother and of her parents.
This one is tricky. I have friends who say that they've seen flowers placed at Jewish gravesites. My recollection is that the longstanding Ashkenazi custom was to not have flowers (the reasons given ranging from flowers being seen as something "happy," wanting the burial/grave site to be as simple as possible, to the always reliable "don't act like goyim"), though it should be stressed that this is custom, not law.
In any event I find it very interesting that Reisa doesn't do the one universal custom when visiting a Jewish grave, leaving a stone, preferring instead to reach into her pocket:
Pulling out a small glass jar and the knife that she always carried, she loosened a little of the dirt on [the graves]. Putting it in the jar, she tightened the lid... "When we find our place, Zaideh," she said, her voice strong, "we will put this in it. Now, come, we must go."
What is this, Dracula? And since when does Reisa carry a knife? You know when it would have been a good opportunity to use that thing? When you were running through the woods from bloodthirsty Cossacks. Just saying.
We find out that the Dimitris are headed to Odessa, "over a hundred miles" away. Thanks to the power of maps and basic math, this means that these "Russian" Jews, who supposedly speak "Russian" as their native language are actually living somewhere in South-central Ukraine, or possible Moldova. Both of which have their own languages that aren't aren't Russian. So. Good to know.
Hey, remember when we were wondering why Morris couldn't find any actual Jewish names? Fear not, he finally got one. Jacob and Reisa have been given the name of Reb Chaim Gurion's equally bizarrely named nephew, Laban Gold.
Laban? Really? Don't get me wrong, Morris, I'm glad you keep looking to the Bible for name inspiration, but would it kill you to look past Genesis? I'm sure it's just a matter of time until someone named Lot or Tubal-Cain shows up.
They make it to the port, and brilliantly deduce they must buy tickets.
"Let me ask that officer," Reisa said.
Reisa approached an imposing-looking man in a uniform of some sort. "Please, sir. Where does one buy tickets...?"
The officer looked down at Reisa. He was a handsome man with a sweeping mustche and twinkling black eyes. "Going to America, are you?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, the ticket office is right over there. You see that sign?"
"Yes. Thank you very much."
"Good voyage."
Wow, Reisa just met the nicest, least antisemitic Russian policeman in existence. Which is a nice coincidence, given that she is apparently the least intimidated Russian Jew of the century. My ancestors were scared shitless everytime they saw anyone from the government, including policemen, census takers, or mailmen. This girl just survived a pogrom and is seeking out cops. Odd.
Also, what language is this sign in? What languages are Reisa literate in? Are we sure this isn't really Star Trek and everyone's walking around with a Universal Translator in their ear?
Before they set off for the New World, Jacob and Reisa have a brief convo about food.
"We must buy food," Reisa said.
"But food is included," Jacob protested.
"I do not trust them. Come. We will buy things that will not spoil."
Hey, finally some historical accuracy! Not trusting the non-Jewish ship line to provide kosher food. Nice, let's see what they do.
She led him to the stores that lines the waterfront and bought cheese, dried beef, and hard bread that would survive the voyage.
Um, just a guess here, but I'm guessing that beef isn't kosher. Which is funny given that Jacob crapped all over those heretical Reformies a mere chapter ago. Also, what kind of cheese is going to survive three-plus weeks of living in steerage? Cheese with rennet, apparently, also non-kosher. Nice.
They go on the ship. The ship is not fun.
The odors of scattered orange peelings, tobacco, garlic, and even worse blended together to form a horrible stench.
Where did they get oranges? From the famous Odessa groves?
Reisa discovers she has a stalker. He is huge and hairy. She wants to know more about him, so she asks the ship's cook.
...she spoke to the cook, a German named Schultz.
..."Who is that big man with the bushy black beard?"
"Oh, you've seen him? His name is Dov. That means 'bear.'"
Yes, it does. IN HEBREW. Why is Reisa getting schooled in Hebrew from the German cook? AAAGH!
Jacob is nominated to be ship's rabbi so the Jews can "have a service," all of them apparently being unaware that they're supposed to be praying three times a day whether there's a rabbi or not.
The description for the prayer service is particularly bad, but I don't want to overload the post with too much quoting. I encourage anyone who can stand it to check out the text in full. Here are some brief highlights:
"All of them were wearing something that resembled a yarmulke-- although some were obviously rigged for the moment."
Maybe instead of "rigging" yarmulkes (?) they could have... I don't know... worn the hats they already had?
The small caps on the head of every man seemed to bring some sort of pleasure to Jacob, and he noted that many of them were wearing the tallis or prayer robe.
One point for using Ashkenazic pronounciation, minus five points for "prayer robe." A tallis is not a robe. Shawl, fine. Pancho even. But last I checked, a robe had sleeves. This is not a tallis, sir. Neither is this.
Morris informs us that the service was "unlike any Shabbat that any of the Jews... had ever known." Presumably, this is because Jacob is wearing tefillin. Frankism?
Reisa sees Dov watching her in the shadows during Shabbat services. Creepy.
The next day, Reisa gets assaulted by a horny sailor. Finally, some realism! Dov steps in and squeezes the man's neck until his eyes are about to pop like grapes. Reisa introduces Dov to Jacob, who is very impressed with her savior. A strong burly Jew, a dark manly beard, and his name is Dov, for God's sakes! What a catch.
Still... perhaps anticipating the conversion crisis of 2009, he feels the need to ask.
"Are you Jewish, my son?"
"No, just Christian man. Russian Orthodox."
*Head smack*
Of course. Of course he is.
Next Time: Coming to America.
No comments:
Post a Comment