Tag #152782 - Interview #101503 (Vladimir Khalfin)

My mother kept on observing Jewish traditions. Since she had to work on Saturday she couldn’t  observe Sabbath, but she observed the Jewish holidays. On holidays our mother dressed up and went to the synagogue. The synagogue was closed in 1938 or 1939. We, children, didn’t go with her since we believed there was no God and became atheists, but we enjoyed observing the Jewish holidays at home. Mother made matzah and traditional food at Pesach. We were poor, but mother always saved for a festive dinner at Pesach gefilte fish, chicken broth with matzah dumplings and boiled chicken. Mother baked strudels with jam, nuts and raisins and cookies in the shape of hexagonal stars. We liked matzah pudding with eggs. On the first day of Pesach we visited mother’s parents. My mother’s brothers and sisters and their families also came there. Our grandmother wanted her family to get together in their parents’ home on high holidays. Grandfather conducted the Seder. I remember children waiting intently for Elijah the Prophet to come into the house. My mother explained to us that we couldn’t see him since he was a spirit, but every time I hoped to see wine in his glass stirring up when he touched it.

Mother fasted at Yom Kippur. My sister and I also fasted from the age of 5. Only little Itzyk didn’t have to fast. At Purim mother made hamantashen – triangle pies stuffed with poppy seeds and raisins. At Chanukkah mother always had her bronze chanukkiyah , her wedding gift, polished until it shined. On the first day of Chanukah mother lit two candles and every following day she lit one more candle. We got money from our relatives at Chanukkah. We bought sunflower seeds and lollypops with this money. At Sukkot we went to our neighbors that made a sukkah in their yard. We had meals there.