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The Bar Mitzvah
The Soviets Come to Czernowitz
"In the spring of
1941, I was about to be Bar Mitzvah. A few days after the Soviets entered
our city, I had stopped my Hebrew lessons. My teacher, who was a
communist, (this one, too) wouldn't continue, since it was dangerous,
being considered either religious or Zionist propaganda, both forbidden.
Now, I knew enough Hebrew to be able to read the few lines, but young
people were strictly forbidden to enter a synagogue. Finally, my father or
my grandfather, I don't recall which, arranged with a willing rabbi to
have the whole ceremony very early in the morning, before school started,
at 5 a.m. Naturally, there were other people present in order to have a
Minyan, I don't think there were any friends of mine, probably just some
of the 'regulars.' I had only to practice how to put on the phylacteries.
Everything went well, nobody saw me, and I got to school on time. My
grandmother baked a delicious honey cake, which we consumed when I got
back from school. She promised me a cake for every day I would get up
early and put on the phylacteries, but although I was (and still am) very
fond of sweets, once was enough for me, besides, my father had also never
done it." -- Gerhard Schreiber
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BUKOVINA |
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