A Wall of Light - Edeet Ravel [22]
The jugs looked so nice in Pinocchio and on the heads of the Arab women and I really wanted one. Now I don’t even know if I like jugs any more.
Our First Year
29 January 1949. Cold and cloudy once again; we’re preparing for another bout of rain. Practically not a drop of water on the kibbutz, not even enough to take care of the cooking. Something must be wrong with the army truck.
Meanwhile we’re working full speed to repair some of the buildings. Guard duty very uneventful, much to our relief, and we don’t even hear shots. The army pulled out completely a number of days ago, and they only come around now to discuss our defences.
Dori
I’m on my way to the Room when I see the man from the ruins. He always wears a long dark coat. Even in summer. My brother David says his name is either Jeremiah ben-Jacob or Arnold and he sleeps on straw with the wild dogs.
I decide to follow him. I want to see those ruins.
But as soon as I get there he pushes me down on the
ground with his hand and opens his coat. He’s naked inside the coat and his skin is very white. I scream and run away as fast as I can.
I’m still interested in the ruins though. I’ll ask David and Noam and Amnoni to take me with them next time they go.
Thy Neck with Chains of Gold
RITA, alone in her room, moves to the wall separating her room from MICHAEL and MARINA’s, and knocks. She waits for a response. The knock is returned. She sits and waits for the door to open. Enter MICHAEL.
MICHAEL
What’s a nice girl like you doing on a tropical island
like this?
RITA
I’m waiting for my lover. He’ll sail in on the tide, just
when the sun sets along the pink horizon.
MICHAEL
Haven’t we met before? Yes, I remember. I see you
often in my dreams, living in the Middle East, where
the cannons roar and the wind howls and the rain falls
incessantly on tin rooftops.
RITA
Hark! My lover approacheth …
MICHAEL
What kind of man is he?
RITA
Tall and handsome—and terribly vain. When he looks
at me, I tremble.
Dori
There’s a beautiful lullaby—
Lullaby the ship is sailing
Lullaby the waves are rocking
Moon o moon
The ship starts to sway
Lullaby lullay
Let your song fade away
Lullaby three birds left the bay
Lullaby one froze on the way
Moon o moon
The second was shot
And the very last one
Lullaby lullay
Your name forgot
Mummy says the song is about Jews coming to Palestina. That’s what Israel was called before it was ours. Palestina. I like that word. Nina from Palestina.
Mummy explains that the birds are symbols. Some Jews died on the way to Palestina and some were killed by the Enemy and some forgot they were Jews. I love symbols.
I have a question though. If a third were killed and a third died and a third forgot they were Jews then who was left to come to Palestina? That song is not exactly right because here we are.
Our First Year
1 February 1949. Not rain, but snow, snow! Twelve inches deep in places and still falling. The whole appearance of the place is transformed. The ruins of the village look like reclining polar bears and the terraces and familiar paths are hidden. The pipes are frozen and a few people have twisted their ankles in bad falls. We’re still trying to repair buildings, but it’s almost impossible to work in the snow. The carpentry shop is working full blast.
Dori
I ask Daddy to read The Little Matchgirl to me. He laughs and says but it makes you cry. But I keep asking and in the end he gives in. I don’t mind crying.
When he gets to the fourth match I begin to cry. The girl sees her dead grandmother and wants to go with her. And in the morning they find the little girl frozen in the snow with the matches in her hand. I want a different ending and I cry and cry.
Daddy laughs and says I told you it would make you cry. He gives me a big white handkerchief to blow my nose. I say make up a different ending and he tries but it doesn’t work because