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15 Adar 5759 - March 3, 1999 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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Home and Family
Just Get Me to the Shul on Time - or - A Different Purim
by Malka Adler

Most Purim costumes, whether homesewn or bought, have some background biography in family lore. Faulty fabrics, fittings, misfits and children's caprices. Endless searching in stores for the appropriate costumes at acceptable prices. But of all the scenarios I've encountered, my daughter Chasi had the most unusual one.

It was five years ago and she was living in Odessa, Ukraine, for the year, where my son-in-law, an Israeli, is the chief rabbi [Ed. plus principal, orphanage head, senior citizens' program director and every/anything else related to Jewish relief and religion]. At present, he comes to Israel every few weeks while my daughter remains in Jerusalem with the children. For Yom Tov, they usually travel to the Ukraine.

At that time in 1994, people were completely in the dark about Yiddishkeit. A spiritual vacuum successfully created by the Communist regime's total iron curtain. With tremendous siyata dishmaya through glasnost, my son-in- law, R' Shlomo Bakst, has succeeded in establishing high schools, elementary schools, nurseries and an orphanage, through the auspices of Yeshivas Ohr Somayach.

It is 1994 and Purim is looming on the horizon. My daughter was doing her utmost to create the proper festive atmosphere, complete with costumes for the offspring and a seuda for some oldtime shul members. This was no easy feat with only two hours of water running through the city's controlled water system, limited electricity and frequent blackouts. All of the children were outfitted with previous years' creations. Only the oldest, Lakey, was in need of something her size.

There was a seamstress in the large apartment building that housed mainly gentiles and she happened to be Jewish. What could be simpler that buying material and having it sewn into a costume? But our seamstress didn't know the first thing about Jewish customs.

Queen Esther was not a royal personage with whom she was familiar. Chasi's description in rudimentary Russian seemed to further cloud the picture, as did suggestions of a Dutch girl, a Japanese lady and so on. Then, in desperation, my daughter suggested, through pantomime of a mock wedding ceremony, a bridal gown! Finally, a flash of comprehension, and plans were made. Material was scarce, white satin a rarity, and lace; a long forgotten luxury.

With difficulty, the essentials were assembled. For lace, the seamstress pieced together some remnants. As for crown and veil, since none could be bought, she kindly donated the one she had worn at her own wedding. A bouquet of fresh flowers (Odessans are wild about flowers and actually have a huge open market only for fresh flowers) completed the ensemble with a realistic touch.

Purim day dawned cold, but sunny, and the children dressed with excitement. The bride, in all her pure white finery, accompanied by her mother and colorful siblings, set out for the long walk to the main synagogue, a magnificent structure reclaimed by Rabbi Bakst, for the reading of the Megilla.

People were hurrying off to work, rushing for buses, walking briskly. But almost everyone stopped short at the sight of an eight-year-old bride, obviously on the way to her nuptials. An unbelievable sight in a city that has witnessed many an unusual phenomenon. Strangers, excited and gesturing, approached the wedding party.

"Why are you allowing this child to marry?" they asked in surprise mixed with indignation. [Russians are fiercely possessive and protective of their children, one per family.] "She's far too young!" With every noble attempt at clarification and with every last word in her limited Russian vocabulary, Chasi tried. But the mother of the bride could not convey the spirit of Purim.

With some strangers actually trailing them out of curiosity, they proceeded, stopping traffic, attracting attention and introducing Odessa to its first Purim-on-the-streets in seven decades!

[Editor's postscript: I was there. Today, five years later, hundreds of children are getting a proper Jewish education and a kollel has actually been established with several couples and their children. May they all increase to continue to defy the Hamans of all generations!]

state.

 

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