There will always be that Yom Kippur. The one in '73. Not only was it a big trauma for my country, but for me this is my first memory*. I remember visiting my mother in the hospital as she just gave birth to my little sister (#6), and how they covered all the windows in black. And the atmosphere, oh I can remember the tense and serious atmosphere all around.
And of course there is this Yom Kippur. Maybe not my daughter's first, but certainly the first with some meaning. So we walked on the road - oh yes, on the road! Yom Kippur is also called here bike holiday as nobody drives! For years I really hated YK except for the walking in the middle of the road, always loved being able to do that, and now my daughter can too :-). And she is such an independent little girl, going here and there, and she really goes off without caring if I'm around.
And I wasn't planning to, so we weren't really dressed nicely, but towards the end we went into the synagogue and let her absorb the atmosphere, the praying and all the people and most importantly - hearing the shofar!
But my Yom Kippur is and will always be the one three** years ago. The one in which I just got my second Beta results. I hardly went in for the first one as I just knew I was not pregnant, only going for the Beta so as not to have to go through Yom Kippur with even the slightest hope. But oh my, what a lovely number and quickly to find where I can have that second Beta taken on Yom Kippur eve! Finding out I was most certainly pregnant on Yom Kippur - that will always be meaningful for me!!
* Actually I know today that these are more than one memory that got mixed together, as my sister was born on the first and the war broke out on the 6th.
** (EDT) O.K this is probably why I am not a math teacher: it was the third YK since and including, meaning TWO years ago....
4 comments:
Such bitter sweet memories surround Yom Kippur for you.
I love reading that your daughter is so independent & self assured...proof positive what a great Mom you are. Both are traits I so passionately what my daughter to possess.
SO nice that you can supplement the hard memories with ones so positive. Hearing the shofar is one of the things I look forward to at YK, too. Sounds like you had a good holiday.
My mom found out she was pregnant with me on YK, too! And then I was born on the 2nd night of Pesach! :) I love YK in Israel...it's so special to see the roads closed off and everyone walking in white, quietly. Beautiful. Chag sameach!
What a beautiful post! Your writing is so evocative. I can almost see the streets :)
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