Jacob's Way (8 page)

“Thank you,” Jacob said, answering in Yiddish.

“My name is Micah Pankoff,” he said. “Today we have
borscht
, and we have
k'naidelch.”

“You have
k'naidelch!
My favorite!” Jacob said with pleasure. This was a round dumpling made of matzoh meal and cooked in soup.

“Yes. And we have
k'nishes.”

Dov asked, “What is
k'nishes?”

“It's baker dumplings filled with potato, meat, and liver.”

This was food such as they were familiar with, and they sat down eagerly while the proprietor brought them the steaming bowls. They ate heartily, Dov wading through several helpings and eating a complete loaf of round black bread.

As they ate, Micah came back from time to time. Reisa asked him, “You do not know where Mr. Laban Gold lives, I suppose?”

“Do I not!” Micah's eyes opened wide. “He lives two streets down from me. You know Mr. Gold?”

“We have never met him, but his uncle said we should see him, and that he would help us get established.”

“He's a fine man, Laban Gold, a businessman, and his wife a wonderful woman. They are good people. We go to the same synagogue.”

A feeling of relief swept over Reisa. She had been afraid of what would happen to them in America, but now at least there was one family that they could turn to. She felt much better.

When they had finished eating, they paid their bill, and Reisa insisted they wait until Petya came back.

Finally Petya did return, his eyes excited. “I have found them!” he exclaimed.

“Good,” Reisa said. “Now, sit down and eat.”

“Good. Anything is better than that ship food.”

They waited while Petya ate, and then the two men shouldered their baggage, and they left.

“I will see you on the Sabbath day,” Micah said.

“Yes. God be thanked. We will be there,” Jacob replied.

Following Petya, they soon came to a very busy street. The buildings rose on each side five or six stories high, all with iron balconies. On every balcony clothes were hanging out—shirts, long underwear, trousers, petticoats. The streets were thronged with peddlers, so that it was difficult to make their way through. More than once the small party was besieged by peddlers wearing boxes suspended in front of them by a string around the neck. They sold such things as cherries, laces, glasses, ties, and almost any other item that could be carried in such a small compartment.

Finally they came to a street that was less congested. Petya led the way to the house of Laban Gold. Jacob knocked on the door.

Almost at once it was opened by a very attractive, heavyset woman. She had a wealth of brown hair, but most of it was hidden under her kerchief. “Yes?” she said.

“I am looking for the home of Mr. Laban Gold.”

“I am Mrs. Gold. You want my husband?”

“Yes. If you please.”

“Come inside.”

The four stepped inside and found themselves in a very small parlor with doors on three sides. On the right was a passageway with a set of stairs leading up. They passed through another door in what was the home proper of the Golds. It was to them a very attractive room, with carpet on the floor, framed lithographs on the wall, and a chandelier of brass that lighted the room. It was evidently a sitting room, for there was a couch, three chairs, several tables, and two floor lamps. “I will get my husband,” Mrs. Gold said as she left.

“I feel embarrassed throwing myself into this home,” Jacob said.

“Don't worry,
Zaideh
,” Reisa replied. “Reb Gurion said his nephew is a very generous man and that he would welcome us.”

Almost at once the door opened, and a small man with dark eyes and rather thick glasses entered. He came to stand before them and smiled, bowing slightly. “I am Laban Gold. You wish to see me?”

“My name is Jacob Dimitri. This is my granddaughter, Reisa. This is Dov Puskin, and this is Petya Ivanov.” Jacob hesitated slightly, and then said with some embarrassment, “We have a mutual acquaintance—Rabbi Chaim Gurion.”

“My uncle!” Mr. Gold exclaimed. He nodded energetically, which seemed to be a habit with him, his head going up and down rapidly. He turned to his wife. “Rachel, these are friends of my uncle Chaim.”

“I heard, Laban.” Mrs. Gold had been studying the oddly matched quartet. “You have just gotten off the ship, I take it?”

“Yes,” Jacob said. “We know no one else in America.” He said this simply and without any attempt to ask for favors.

At once Laban seemed to grasp the situation. “Oh, yes. We have been able to help many of our countrymen. Have you found a place to stay?”

“No. We've come directly from the ship.”

“Well, we can arrange that, can't we, Rachel?”

“Certainly.” Mrs. Gold smiled. She came forward and said firmly, “You may stay with us. We have room in our home for you, Mr. Dimitri, and your granddaughter. And three houses down my neighbor, Mrs. Epstein, can take two more boarders.”

“We unfortunately have very little money.”

Gold threw up his hands in a gesture of disdain. “We will work it out. We must stick together, we Russians.”

From that point on it became relatively simple. Mrs. Gold was an active woman accustomed to managing things. Mr. Gold took Jacob off to an inner room that he used for a study, where the two were soon deep in conversation. Rachel Gold showed Reisa the small room that would be hers and another for her grandfather. “They are very small, but at least you will have a window in your room.”

“We're so thankful to you, Mrs. Gold.”

“Supper will be ready soon. You get yourself settled and go invite your two friends. You must have your first meal together in the new world.”

The meal was delicious. Mrs. Gold served
gefilte
fish, fish stuffed with onions and seasoning and cooked in salt water.

There was much more, and the wanderers were made to feel very much at home. Reisa was interested in the Golds' children. Zillah, age fifteen, was well shaped and a fine-looking young woman, and Joseph, age eighteen, was a head taller than his father but very thin. They were both lively young people, plying the visitors with questions.

Joseph was sitting next to Reisa and paid her many compliments. “You speak English very well.”

“Well, thank you. I had a good teacher.”

“You will like it here in America. Perhaps you will permit me to show you around the neighborhood.”

Reisa was not sure if this would be proper, but she felt it would be impolite to say no. “That would be very nice,” she said.

Finally the meal was over, and Jacob, Reisa could see, was exhausted. “Time for you to go to bed.”

Jacob said, “I am a little tired. It was a wonderful meal. Absolutely kosher and delicious, Mrs. Gold.”

Reisa said good night to Dov and Petya, agreeing to meet them the next morning and explore their new world. She made sure that her grandfather was comfortable in his small room, and before she left, she knelt beside him, and they said a prayer of thanksgiving for their safe journey. Rising, she went to her own room, undressed, and washed as thoroughly as she could from the basin, using the entire pitcher full of water. It was not like a bath, which she determined to have somehow or other, but it felt wonderful. She pulled on her woolen nightgown and slipped into bed.

As she leaned over to extinguish the lamp, a thought came to her. She threw back her covers, went to the table where she had piled her things, and found the oil-soaked package that the man had given her. Back in bed, she unwrapped it carefully. She was exhausted and her eyes were gritty, but she was curious about the book. Opening it, she saw that it was in English, which pleased her. She saw that one passage had been underlined, which drew her eyes to it.

“Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.”

Reisa read this, and it seemed to echo in her mind and somewhere deeper down in her spirit. She was thoroughly familiar with the Old Testament Scriptures which dealt with the sacrificial ritual of the Jews. The Paschal Lamb had to be perfect, without blemish, and was slain during the Passover. The custom, of course, was no longer possible, but her grandfather had drilled into her the teachings of the Talmud as well as the Old Testament and the Law.

She closed the book slowly, wondering what the passage meant. Putting the book under her pillow, she pulled the covers up, leaned over, and extinguished the lamp. The darkness closed in on her. While she was tired almost to exhaustion, she could not sleep for a time. The passage she had read kept running through her mind like a song.

Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.
She knew that the priest in the Old Testament was connected with the sacrifice. The family that brought the sacrifice would confess their sins, the priest would lay his hand on the lamb, and then it would be slain.
But that would only be for the sin of the family
, Reisa thought.
How could one lamb take away the sin of the whole world?

She was still thinking of this when sleep seized her. It came over her like a blanket, and she fell into a deep darkness, warm and soothing.

Six

A
hoarse humming sound in her ear and a tentative touch on her cheek brought Reisa out of a sound sleep. Smiling, she opened her eyes and saw Boris lying beside her as closely as he could. As soon as she opened her eyes, he reached out his paw and put it on her eye carefully. It was a tradition between them, a ceremony to be observed each morning on Reisa's waking. Reaching out, she stroked the ebony fur, the blackest thing in nature, and for a time lay there thinking as she woke up fully.

“Enough already, Boris!” She shoved him away, pulled the covers back, and got out of bed. She dressed quickly and made the bed, then went downstairs. There she found Mrs. Gold in the kitchen already busy with breakfast. “Good morning, Mrs. Gold.”

“Ah, good morning, Reisa. You're up early.”

“Yes. I expect Grandfather will sleep late. He's very tired.” She looked around at the kitchen and said, “Let me help you. I love to cook.”

“That's good. You can make the taiglech. Do you know how?”

“Oh, yes! We often have taiglech, my grandfather and I.” Reisa set about mixing the dough for the cakes that would be dipped in honey, and as they baked she set the table. By the time the food was ready, she heard stirrings outside.

Mrs. Gold said, “We're a little late this morning. We must hurry.”

Rachel Gold finished frying the
feinkochen
—scrambled eggs. There were also
tsimmes
, or sweet carrot compote, left over from the meal the night before, and
blintzes
, small rolls filled with cheese.

Mr. Gold came down dressed in a shiny, rather worn black suit. He greeted Reisa warmly. “Ah, you slept well, I trust.”

“Yes, Mr. Gold. Very well indeed. It was good to be on a bed that wasn't rocking back and forth.”

Zillah came in wearing a light blue dress. She wore a kerchief, as did her mother. She greeted Reisa, then sat down. Joseph seemed to be very sleepy. He wore a yarmulke, the small cap on his head, as did his father. After Mr. Gold had prayed over the food, they all plunged in. She discovered that Zillah was off to school, and that Joseph was working at a tailor shop. She asked him about his work, and he said, “One day I'll own my own shop. I'll be rich, won't I, Papa?”

“If God wills.”

“Oh, God wills it all right,” Joseph said.

The meal was quickly over, and Mr. Gold went off to his work, the others to meet their responsibilities. Reisa helped Mrs. Gold wash the dishes, and as they did she said, “My grandfather and I have very little money. I will need to go to work soon.”

Mrs. Gold nodded firmly. “I expect you will.”

“What would I do?”

“Oh, there's plenty of work.” Mrs. Gold frowned suddenly. “The trouble is, it's all long hours and pays little. When you're ready, my husband will help you find a place.”

Reisa knew that her grandfather might sleep very late, so she asked tentatively, “It was so dirty on the ship. I need to take a bath if there's any way.”

“Oh, yes. We have a tub you can take to your room. Heat water on the stove here.”

Reisa busied herself with this activity, and soon had the tub filled with hot water in her room. Stripping off her dirty clothes, she took the soap and sat down with a sigh of relief. She washed thoroughly, soaping herself and washing her hair. She had brought extra water to rinse with, and standing up, she poured it over her hair and let it run down her body. Finally she stepped out, dried off, and put on only one petticoat. The weather was growing warmer already, and she thought it would be all she needed.

Finally she emptied the bath water, and by the time that was done Jacob was up and eating breakfast in the kitchen. She greeted him with a smile. “Did you sleep well,
Zaideh?
”

“Yes. Very well.”

He finished his plate of eggs and started to rise, but she pushed him gently back into his chair.

“Sit down. You must eat more. You've lost weight.”

She saw to it that her grandfather had a good breakfast, and then he said, “I think I will go down to the synagogue and see if I can find some work teaching Hebrew.”

“I think that would be good,” Reisa said. “You need to meet the rabbi and the other leaders of the synagogue.”

After she got Jacob off, she gathered their few spare items of clothing and set about boiling water and washing. Then she helped Mrs. Gold clean the house. The work was easy for her, and it was good to be moving around.

Later that afternoon Petya came by. He was excited. “I think I found me a fine job. I start tomorrow working with a tailor. He's going to teach me everything. There's a fortune to be made in it, Reisa!”

“I'm glad you found something. I know you'll do well.”

“Dov has a job, too. He's unloading the ship down at the docks.” He laughed. “I was with him, and they took one look and hired him. He can do the work of two men. I heard one of the foremen say so.”

“I'm going to get a job, too, as soon as I can,” Reisa said.

“Not today. Let's just take a walk around and see this new world we're in.”

They took a tour of their part of the city, and once again Reisa was almost stunned with the city itself. It was not a clean place, she saw at once. There were dark hallways and filthy cellars, all crowded with dirty children. They clustered on stoops and fire escapes and in wash-hung courts, and in the trash-laden alleys they played their little games with balls and sticks.

As they made their way along, the sidewalks whirled with the tides of the city life. Men and women everywhere were shouting and bartering in a dozen tongues. The city was actually an open-air marketplace where storekeepers competed with push carts, wagons, and temporary stands.

“They sell everything out here on the street, don't they, Petya?”

“Almost, it seems. I don't see how they all make a living. Some of the stuff is so cheap.” He pointed out that bandannas and tin cups sold for two cents and peaches a cent a quart and damaged eggs for practically nothing.

They made their way along, with children slipping through the turmoil like eels, and the sounds of what seemed like a dozen languages always on the air.

Finally, back at the Golds' house, Petya said good-bye.

“Come by tonight, and we'll work on your English,” Reisa said.

“I'll do that, Reisa.”

Reisa found that her grandfather had returned, but he did not have good news. There was an unhappy look on his face as he said, “There are many who teach Hebrew. I do not think it will be possible for me to find employment.”

“Don't worry,
Zaideh
. We will find a way. I will find a job—and God will not leave us!”

The sun was going down now, and the city growing cooler. It was like living in a canyon, Reisa thought as she sat on the steps. The buildings on both sides rose up to cut out the pale sunlight. For a time she sat there watching the children play and then thought:
I don't like this place. It's dirty and crowded and people are so rude!
She knew, however, she could not say anything like this to Jacob, for he was already discouraged.

That night she sat with Jacob, Dov, and Petya giving them English lessons. They were joined by Joseph, who was helpful, and he began teaching Reisa how to write in English. Reisa was a quick learner.

After Dov and Petya had left she said, “Thank you, Joseph, for teaching me.”

“You're very quick, Reisa.” Joseph nodded. “You must learn how to speak well and to write well. This is not Russia. We must put all that behind us.”

“Must I?” Reisa said wistfully. “I have good memories of my home there. It was hard, but I miss it already.”

Joseph smiled and waved his hand in the air. “You will forget it soon. There's so much to do here, and you will marry a rich man and have a big house.”

“I don't think so,” Reisa said.

“Oh, yes! You are a very attractive young woman. You will have many suitors.”

“Well, I don't think of that.” Reisa smiled a little.

“Of course you do. Doesn't every woman think of a husband?”

Joseph was teasing her, she knew, and she wondered for a time if he would be one of those suitors. But it was as if he had read her mind, and he held both hands out palms up. “Not me,” he said. “I'm going to marry a rich woman.”

Reisa laughed. “I believe you will. She'll probably be fat and ugly.”

“Doesn't matter,” Joseph laughed, his eyes sparkling, “as long as she's rich.”

“Will you help me find work, Joseph?”

“Yes. It won't be a good job. You have to have training for that, but I know that you and your grandfather need money immediately. I will look around tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Joseph.”

The day had been tiring, and Reisa said good night to her grandfather. “Joseph has promised to find me a job,” she said as she stood at her door.

“I regret that you have to work, Reisa,” Jacob said sadly.

“I'm strong, and I expect to work. Good night.”

“Good night, Reisa.”

Quickly Reisa prepared for bed, but she found herself unable to sleep. She had brought a newspaper home and practiced her reading. The main story was about a terrible fire that had destroyed much of a city called Chicago. As she read about the death and devastation, her heart went out to the people that she had never seen. She could almost see the children who had lost parents, and parents weeping over their dead babies.

Quickly she moved her eyes to another part of the paper, which concerned something called a circus by a man called P. T. Barnum. It was opening in New York for the first time, and for a fleeting moment she wished she could go. She had never been to a circus, but traveling acrobats and trainers with bears trained to do tricks had come through the village once. Now as she read about the circus with the strange animals and many different acts, she thought about asking her grandfather if they might go. But she knew it would cost money, and there was none to spare.

She put the paper away after a time, and her eyes fell on the small gospel of John. She picked it up and opened it and began reading. The section she read told the story of the prophet Jesus who met a woman at a well. This fascinated Reisa, for she well knew that women in biblical times had almost no honor or position. No man would speak to a woman in the open, so as she read that Jesus spoke to one, she became engrossed. She followed the story, amazed that Jesus knew about the woman's life without ever having met her! She knew that the woman was not a good woman, for she was living with a man not her own husband. Finally she reached the parts that said, “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.” This thrilled her and surprised her, for she had not known that Christians thought this way. Of course, she knew that Jesus himself was a Jew.

Finally her eyes fell on the verse that said, “God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

She thought about this verse for a time.
God was a spirit. Anything other than this was idolatry
. She was pleased with this thought.

Then she read the next verse. “The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he comes, he will tell us all things.”

Reisa's eyes fell on the next verse, which hit her with more force than she had dreamed. “Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.”

No! It can't be true! Jesus cannot be the Messiah. He died!

The story itself had interested Reisa, but the thought of Jesus being the Messiah that would free all Israel deeply disturbed her. She tossed the book down determined to read it no more, but as she tried to sleep the verse kept echoing in her.
I that speak unto thee am he…