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At Rosh Hashanah our parents went to the synagogue in the morning. They returned from there high spirited and wished us a happy year to come. On this day we dipped apples in honey and ate them. Before Yom Kippur we had a kapores ritual conducted at home. My parents fasted from the first evening star on one day to the first star on another. Children fasted for half day after they turned 5 years of age. When they turned 10 they fasted 24 hours like adults. Shofar played at the synagogue. In the morning of Yom Kippur our parents went to the synagogue and prayed there a whole day until the first evening star. We also celebrated Sukkot at home. My father and his brothers made an annex to the house with a folding roof. Ordinarily this annex was used as a storeroom. On Sukkot the roof was folded. There was a grid left that we decorated with branches and ribbons to turn it into a sukkah. It made a beautiful sight and I have bright memories of it. There was a table installed inside and we had meals in the sukkah through the holiday. Our father also recited a prayer before each meal. We also celebrated Purim at home. Our mother cooked traditional food. My brother and I wore our fancy clothes. At Purim shelakhmones gifts of food were traditionally given to neighbors and relatives. At Chanukkah our mother lit one more candle in her bronze chanukkiyah each day. Guests gave children Chanukkah gelt. Our father told us the history and traditions of all holidays.
Period
Interview
Arkadi Yurkovetski