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Monday, June 6, 2022

Celebrating Shavuot in Safed Forty Years Ago

 Nadene Goldfoot                                              


May 29, 1982: Letter to my mother in Ontario, Oregon from Safed, Israel:

 We got back to Safed, ran to the supermarket on the way in, went home and collapsed.  Thursday was Shavuot, and Don and Maureen had been invited over for dinner.  I served borsht with sour cream, some delicious cold smoked fish that is better than kippered salmon, salad, cheese blintzes with sour cream and cherry preserves, and for dessert we had cheesecake with cherry topping.  Don was in seventh heaven.  I have to brag that everything tasted so good.  The blintzes came from your cookbook that you had given me.  

The next night we went to their home for Shabbat dinner.  That helps when you have two celebrations back to back to cook for.  The only problem is walking there and back, but the exercise is good for us.

Thursday night you are supposed to stay up all night and study the Tanach (bible).  Don and Maureen conked out and went home, but this eleven-ear-old Moishe came over and studied with us until about 2:00am.  At midnight, we all went outside and said a special prayer, because at midnight, the heavens were to open up and your prayer was to go directly up to HaShem (g-d).  Moishe thought the heavens really would open up and was afraid to go out at first.  His father was at the synagogue and really stayed up until 7:00am.  Anyway, we had lots of fun with Moishe, as he would say, "Stop!  I don't understand that," and we would go over some passage.  I think the kid is going to grow up to be a Tzaddick.  He's so smart.  Well, I've had a nice respite from my Jr. high students, and tomorrow I must be back in the saddle.

From my book, Letters From Israel, @ 2003  


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