RHYS BOWEN: Since it's almost Hanukah I thought I'd share a scene from the book Clare and I have just finished. It's called, tentatively IN SUNSHINE OR IN SHADOW and it's set in a fledgling Jewish bungalow community in the Catskills. For those of you who don't know the details, early in the century Jewish residents of New York, wishing to escape the city heat and disease, started renting cabins (bungalows) from Jewish farmers in the mountains. This gradually morphed into the grand resorts of the 1920s.
Molly has been invited to join her friend Sid's family. Sid has been estranged from them as they are pressing her to get married and behave like a normal young woman. Things become serious when a matchmaker is invited. I won't give away what has happened so far, but the family is in shock before this scene.
After a rather quiet dinner Jacob got the Weiss children involved in stacking firewood in a stone fire ring in the clearing between the bungalows. We pulled logs, chairs and benches around the fire. At first only Mira joined us from Sid’s family. Sid and Gus recited some poetry as promised. I even got up and recited a poem I had memorized at school. Then Professor Rosen and Jacob began to play. They played a folk song in Yiddish that sounded mournful and longing. Jacob sang the melody in a clear voice and Professor Rosen joined in on the chorus, “A shvue, a shvue, af lebn, un toyt.” As the song came to an end, we saw Sid’s grandparents standing at the edge of the firelight.
“That was beautiful,” Sid’s grandmother had tears in her eyes.
“Come and join us, Bubbe,” Sid said and we made room for them.
“I wonder if you know this one,” Sid’s grandfather said and sang the first line, “’Oyfn priptchik brent a fayerl,’ Appropriate don’t you think?”
“Fayerl is a little fire,” Sid whispered to me. “My grandfather always used to sing this song to me when I was a little girl. It’s about learning the Hebrew alphabet.”
“Also actually about preserving the Jewish culture.” Jacob had overheard. “I know the song. We teach it to kindergartners.”
“I know it too,” Professor Rosen nodded and began to play the tune. Jacob joined in with the accompaniment. Sid’s grandfather sang along in a voice that was still surprisingly strong. Hearing Zayde sing brought the rest of the family to the fire. Mr. and Mrs. Weiss joined us as well. I was not accustomed to night in the forest. In the lulls between the music I could hear the wind sighing through the tall trees, making branches creak and crack. In the distance an owl hooted. Sparks rose from the fire to be swallowed into the night. It was magical but a little alarming. If I turned my head from the fire, I could see nothing but darkness. It was as if the rest of the world had disappeared. We were in our own private universe. Perhaps that made us less self-conscious. The mood became less somber. Mr. Weiss sang a song that made everyone laugh. Sid tried to translate it for me but couldn’t keep up.
Everyone was in a good mood as we carried our lanterns back to the bungalows. It was hard to remember that only that morning Mr. Levin had been alive.
With that a happy Hanukah to all who celebrate!
And if you’d like to get in the Christmas spirit, my Molly book AWAY IN A MANGER is on special at Amazon right now at $2:99
