Candles and Honey Cookies by Shari Elder

Author:Shari Elder [Elder, Shari]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Hanukkah; cookies; jewish hero; jewish heronie; festival of lights; jews; temple
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2021-06-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Tamara wiped the dust off her robes with her free hand as she entered the temple. Syrian soldiers perched around the door as if ready to strike each congregant. Her other arm ached from carrying the basket with the sacred jug of oil her father asked her to bring to keep the eternal flame burning, the only Jewish ritual the Syrians allowed her people to retain. Even her father, who had initially supported the king, chaffed under each new rule.

Tamara glanced around the temple now littered with statues of Greek and Syrian gods, false idols to receive their prayers.

“Have you brought the oil?” Isaac approached her with two guards following behind him, like twin shadows. His dark eyes flitted up her body, then around the room, as if he were always on high alert, never trusting anyone. Not a good look for a priest or a man who wanted to be her betrothed.

“Of course. After a year, I should think you would no longer need to ask.” She handed him the jug, careful to do so away from prying eyes. She also hid food for the rebels in her basket, including honey cookies she hoped would make their way to Natan.

Isaac grunted, as if her words did not merit a response. Once his disdain would have made her hang her head in shame. Since her night with Natan, Isaac’s condescension bounced off her like rain on a tent.

“I would like to light candles before I go.” Her gaze surveyed the room. The altar which housed their sacred texts was missing, replaced by a particularly large statue of Zeus. “Another statue of the king of the Olympian gods. How fortunate we are.” She knew the drill around the soldiers.

Isaac nodded. His eyes narrowed, as if warning her away from any conversation. “You’ve completed your duty. Light your candles, then don’t dawdle. The temple is a place for men. I will lead you to the women’s altar, another wise change from our rulers.”

Women’s altar? The Syrians’ hold got stricter with each passing day. She followed Isaac to a small corner, hidden from the main tabernacle. Several candelabras lay neatly on the table in front of a small statue of Hera, the Greek god of marriage and birth. One of the menorahs had all of seven candles lit. A clay bowl to the side held extra candles and twigs. She glanced at Isaac, who refused to meet her eyes.

“Do you pray for me or only for peace?” Isaac whispered. The garlic and onion on his breath made her gag.

“Peace benefits all of us.” Tamara placed candles in one of the empty menorahs, picked up a twig, waved it over an existing flame until it caught, then lit her candles. She bowed her head in prayer.

“Why do you wait to make our vows? The rebellion is a nonsense. We cannot beat these soldiers but must live as we can with them.”

“You ask me this every time I visit, Isaac. My answer remains the same.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.