Selected text
At Yom Kippur and before Rosh Hashanah the family fasted. Our father also fasted. We sat at the table after our mother returned from the synagogue in the evening. I didn’t go to the synagogue. Authorities were struggling against religion and mother thought it was better for me to stay at home. My mother told me that it was a two-storied building with men sitting on the first floor and women sitting on the 2nd floor. My mother said such was a rule to have attendants of synagogue concentrate on the prayer. I also remember Kapores that my mother arranged before Yom Kippur. She bought white hens for my sister, herself and me and a rooster for our father. After the prayer we took a bird turning it over our heads saying “May you be my atonement” in Hebrew. Later my mother took these chickens to the synagogue where they were given to poor people.
At Purim my mother made gomentashy, triangle pies with poppy seeds and nuts. She also made poppy seed cookies. It was a tradition to take shalahmones (treatments) to relatives.
We also celebrated Sukkoth, the harvest holiday, in the family. Our acquaintances had a sukkah in their yard and we came to them to sit in their Sukkah. After the prayer we sat at the table. I stayed at the table for a short while before my mother told me to go home, because it was cold.
At Purim my mother made gomentashy, triangle pies with poppy seeds and nuts. She also made poppy seed cookies. It was a tradition to take shalahmones (treatments) to relatives.
We also celebrated Sukkoth, the harvest holiday, in the family. Our acquaintances had a sukkah in their yard and we came to them to sit in their Sukkah. After the prayer we sat at the table. I stayed at the table for a short while before my mother told me to go home, because it was cold.
Location
Ukraine
Interview
Faina Volper Biography