Frozen Mud and Red Ribbons by Avital E. Baruch

Author:Avital E. Baruch [Baruch, Avital E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Holocaust
ISBN: 9783838269986
Google: ZEMpDgAAQBAJ
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Published: 2017-04-25T00:27:23+00:00

Chapter Ten

Herman’s Story: Bar Mitzvah

Herman was almost twelve years old when his side pains got worse. Every day, while running in the streets with his friends, rolling the metal wheel, his back and side hurt so much that he had to bend down and be taken home. The doctor said that it is a kidney infection, and eventually Moshe decided to take him to a specialist in Iasi, where he knew some influential people. The whole of the Jewish hospital was now cramped into a maternity ward, but the care remained intact. The doctor diagnosed kidney stones, so Herman was admitted immediately and had a long operation. His father stayed by his side for a few days until they returned home to Botosani.

As a little girl, I was always impressed by the long and deep scar he had on the side of his tummy. He didn't like talking much about it. Maybe because, stones or no stones, he kept suffering kidneys pain for the rest of his life.

In 1944, towards the end of the war, Herman joined a Jewish youth movement called Bnei Akiva. Its guides, who were called ‘Shlichim’, messengers, arrived from newly established religious kibbutzim in Eretz Israel, Palestine at the time. They were young men and women coming from the Holy Land with the support of the ‘Joint’, in order to organise activities and events for young Jewish children, the likes of Herman and his friends. The floor above the chemist shop was refurbished into a large hall for this function. They used to go to this ‘Ken’, (‘Nest’, in Hebrew), listen to stories about Eretz Israel, learn songs in Hebrew and play games. On Friday afternoons, dressed in white shirts and dark trousers, they arrived there to celebrate ‘Oneg Shabbat’, a festive evening with dinner and singing, to welcome the Shabbat. Sometimes they walked to the town centre at the end of an evening programme, to meet children from other youth movements like ‘Dror Habonim’. They danced Hora and Romanian folk dances to the music of an accordion. Herman always loved music, and dancing with girls added an extra pleasure to that. He felt confident and happy amongst his friends. No one could break their bond.

In the summer they went for a three week camp on the mountains, near a beautiful village called Vatra Dorni, where he befriended a lovely girl called Bruria. Her long flowing hair reaching her waist, and her bright tantalising green eyes enchanted his imagination. He succeeded in having a few short informative conversations with her, but wouldn’t dare more. No further words came to his mind when he happened to encounter her. Belonging to the youth group in Botosani, they often met also after the camp, but it didn’t develop into a serious relationship. Herman was too conscious of the teasing that went on when any boy and girl from the group ‘went out together’ and became a couple. Emotions were an embarrassment and had to be kept secret. All his friends played the same ‘game’, liking girls and pretending they don’t care much about them.

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