Learning Russian Chopsticks

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The last thing Aviva remembered, was falling asleep on her mother's lap, in the long car ride from New York City.  She'd been both physically and emotionally exhausted, and that's saying a lot for a 7-year old.

She opened her eyes as the car jerked to a halt, and Aryeh pulled the handbrake, which made a "breaking" sound.  They had stopped in front of a an imposing three story building, made of limestone.  The front of the building was ornate, with carvings, a ten commandments over the door, and a menorah.  Four columns and multi-coloured glass.  It was beautiful.

On a plaque by the door it said in Hebrew, "Oswego Friends of Israel Synagogue"... (Am Yisrael).  It didn't feel a bit odd, to Aviva, that it was written in Hebrew, it's the only language she knew.

"This is where we'll live" abba (father) said, with a note of pride in his voice, as the two girls, and Pesia as well, stared gape-jawed at this 3-story edifice.

"This is all ours?" Ettie asked, eyes wide opened staring up at the top of the building.

"No, not all of it" abba answered "the first floor is the synagogue & sanctuary, where I'm the Chazan/Rabbi (Leader/Teacher and Cantor).  On the second floor are offices and classrooms, and we'll live on the third floor, in our own apartment."

"Who will be living with us?" asked Pesia. Always the practical one.

"Nobody, it's all ours, it has a stove and an oven Pesia... an oven!".

Pesia teared-up quietly as the girls started running up the stairs, peering through the glass on the doors.  Schmoolick came with them, took a key from his pocket and unlocked the doors.  The girls were in awe, and Pesia walked through the doors with her Schmoolick, arm in arm, never more proud.

Practically running up the three flights, ahead of abba & eema, the girls made it to the apartment first... and started exploring.  They quickly discovered there were two separate bedrooms, a large central room, a kitchen with a refrigerator.  This was enough space for a king!

"This room" abba declared "is the living room" saying it in heavily accented English.  They each repeated quietly "liffink rhoom", as he explained that it was the room to gather in, but not to sleep in.  Back in Israel, they had only a single room, and they ate, slept, and everything in one room.  "Here" he explained, "we sit, an talk"  The central focus of the room was a beautiful red silk Divan.  And Ettie and Aviva made themselves comfortable, while abba and eema set to unpacking.

Suddenly a piercing ring sounded through the room, and Schmoolick ran to the way, and answered the telephone.  His family stood by amazed.  A phone in the apartment.  None of them had ever used a phone.

"Hallo" abba answered "Okey, Goot, Goot, Yes vee vill", and he hung the handset back on the receiver.

"Abba" Aviva asked "did you speak eeenglish?  Abba spoke eenglish, was that eenglish?"

"Yes, booblitchkey, English".

Aviva ventured out of the apartment, she and Ettie explored the rest of the building.  They soon discovered the dumbwaiter, and Aviva stuff Ettie inside, started sliding her down to the first floor.  As soon as Ettie's head disappeared from view she started crying.  She lowered her all the way to the bottom floor and then, still crying, Aviva drew her slowly back up to the first floor.  Ettie stopped sobbing as soon as she saw Aviva, and immediately insisted they switch places and take turns.

"Okay" Aviva readily traded place, excited to see where it led. Aviva was heavier than Ettie, so she moved slowly as Ettie pulled the cords, at the second floor Aviva's jaw dropped, and she leapt through the opening onto the second floor.  When the, now much lighter, dumbwaiter returned to the third floor empty, that started Ettie crying anew.

The sounds of banging on a piano, brought everyone to the second floor, only to find little Aviva sitting on the bench in front of the upright piano in the choir room, banging out some tune that only she knew.  Thankfully abba stopped her from banging, and sat down next to her and showed her how to play the Russian Chopsticks, which she picked up in a moment, and soon Ettie and Aviva were sitting and banging this tune out faster and faster.

"Mamaleh" abba said to his beaming wife.  "We're going to have someone to teach them Piano."

"Yes, abbaleh" Pesia said softly "but for now, let's enjoy this"

They stood back, holding hands and watching their little transplants laughing and playing the piano, an instrument they'd never seen before in their lives.

"Wait" abba whispered to his wife "until they discover the Concert Grand Piano on the first floor in the meeting hall".

"Oy" Pesia sighed.