Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 31 of a new online serial novel, Divided Attention, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every Thursday or Friday. Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © 2010 by Israel Bookshop Publications

As expected, Manny was excited at the idea; Rafi, less so.

“Okay,” Rafi said blandly, “so if he calls again, what should I tell him?”

“Ask him what their organization does. What do they want from you and what are the rules of the program. See if it sounds good for you. Nobody’s forcing you to go, and there’s no point in joining if you won’t enjoy it.”

The phone rang at eight o’clock sharp, as Rafi and his organ were emitting loud attempts at making music—although there was undisputable improvement. Manny picked up the phone and spoke with the caller for several minutes. “Rafi,” he finally said, “come, he wants to talk to you.”

Aharon, waiting patiently on the other end, quickly scrawled the name “Rafi” in large letters on the back of his masmidim booklet. He had received the go-ahead from the office to expand the organization’s activities. The idea wasn’t a bad one at all, and there was no reason why he couldn’t sign up kids from other neighborhoods without affecting the existing programs in their areas, if there were any.

Rafi. Did his name indicate anything?

The boy came to the phone. “Hello?”

After returning the greeting, Aharon got down to business. “You know, Rafi,” he began pleasantly, “our organization distributes prizes to children who do well.”

“What kind of prizes?” Rafi asked.

Aharon wracked his brain, trying to remember one of the prizes. “An electric train, for example,” he said with a cough. He had been in charge of distributing the prizes the previous month and had obtained battery-operated, miniature trains for a very cheap price. If he remembered correctly, he still had a few left in a box on his porch.

“A big one?”

“So-so,” Aharon said. “But maybe before we talk about prizes, I should get to know you. We like to know the new kids who join our organization.”

“Okay,” the child said tonelessly.

“So, can we meet this evening?” Keep Reading…

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 30 of a new online serial novel, Divided Attention, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every Thursday or Friday. Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © 2010 by Israel Bookshop Publications

His initial urge was to turn and run. He would run into the street, into the darkness, to Kiryat Yovel, to Ima, like he’d done before, when Rabbi Paksher and Meir Cooperman’s father had caught him climbing down from the tree. As long as he could get away from Nava’s accusing gaze and the similar looks he would get from Mr. and Mrs. Cohen, who would inevitably enter the room any second.

“Great, so you’ve caught me. Are you happy now?” he asked, balling his fists. “Now are you happy? No problem! I’m leaving!”

“Stop screaming, Rafi!” Nava whispered fiercely and stood up as she saw him making good on his threat and heading for the front door. “And don’t be silly! Get in here now and sit quietly if you don’t want to wake everyone up!”

Rafi stopped.

“Nu, come already!” she said, taking a step towards him. “And stop acting like that. I only want to help you! Yes, to help you! Don’t you understand?”

“You’ve been following me the whole time, haven’t you?” he asked bitterly, trying to keep his tone low. “What do you care what I do?” He completely forgot that he was supposed to be acting like the innocent kid who had woken up in middle of the night and gone out for a nocturnal walk because he couldn’t fall back asleep.

“I care to know how, exactly, you got a hold of my teacher’s journal and pen.”

“That? You can take it from the garbage downstairs,” he said in a hope-tinged tone. “Is that it? You won’t tell your parents anything?”

“I took it already, and no, it’s not it at all. I…in the meantime, I’m not telling my parents anything, but I want you to tell me everything.”

She heard Rafi inhale sharply in the darkness. “Why?” he asked.

“I want to help you,” Nava responded.

“You can’t,” he said and sat down on the bed, kicking off his shoes. “And don’t think you can. No one can help me.” Keep Reading…

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 29 of a new online serial novel, Divided Attention, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every Thursday or Friday. Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © 2010 by Israel Bookshop Publications

For the umpteenth time, Rina tucked the errant tails of her son’s shirt into his jeans. “If you jump around like that all the time, Danny, darling, you’re always going to look messy,” she said with a sigh. “Go downstairs; I’ll be right down, okay?”

“It takes you so long!” the child whined and lay down on the rug. “You promised me a thousand hours ago that we’re leaving in a minute, and then you keep getting phone calls.”

“That’s right, sweetie,” Rina said. “They were very important calls. Now go down and wait for me. I’m coming in a minute.”

Danny skipped down the stairs and Rina entered the house again. She couldn’t believe what an effort it was to go out with one child! She hurriedly got what she needed and locked the door behind her. By now, Danny had surely lost the little bit of patience that he had.

Downstairs, Rina found him talking to someone who looked vaguely familiar.

“Hello!” she said. “Wait; aren’t you Nava’s friend?”

“Yes,” the girl said, as a blush crept up her cheeks. “Your son is very cute.”

“Thank you,” Rina replied. “His name is Danny.”

“Yes, Danny,” the girl said. “I remember that Nava used to babysit for him.”

“Not for a long time already!” Danny interjected. “Ima, I want to see Rafi who lives in Saba and Savta’s house!”

“You’ll meet him,” Rina assured him. The girl still stood there, casting furtive glances towards the end of the street. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember your name,” Rina said to her, grasping Danny’s hand in her own.

“Batya,” the girl replied. “Batya Schindler.”

“Oh, yes, now I remember. Did you want something from me, Batya?”

“Uh…well, yes. It’s Nava’s birthday next week and I thought it would be nice to make her a surprise party, y’know, together with some friends. Would you like to join?” Keep Reading…

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 28 of a new online serial novel, Divided Attention, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every Thursday or Friday. Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © 2010 by Israel Bookshop Publications

Another horrific night was behind them. After a twenty-minute ride, the motorbike stopped at the corner of the street and Rafi loosened his grip on Ronny’s shoulders.

“I’m getting off,” he said quietly as he slid to the sidewalk.

“Okay. You’ll get another message over the next few days.”

Rafi didn’t reply. He didn’t even turn around. He just walked silently past the silhouettes of the dark buildings. He could feel Ronny’s gaze piercing his back and was relieved when he finally heard the motorbike starting up again down the street.

Ronny was hardly thrilled with the noise, wishing, as he always did on such nights, that he could quiet the racket. He turned the motorbike around smoothly and quickly sped down the street. As he passed the corner, he did not notice the car with its headlights off, parked partially on the sidewalk, nor did he notice the man crouching behind it, trying to avoid detection. When Ronny had driven far enough away that the noise of his engine no longer jarred the stillness of the night, Aharon straightened up.

“He let him off somewhere,” he told the driver. “Drive there, straight down the street!”

“Hold it; it doesn’t go so fast. I just turned off the engine,” the driver protested. “You’re too quick for my car, mister!”

“What do you mean?” Aharon replied. “It’s only because of you and your car that I’ve gotten this far. Nu, are we going?”

“Yes, yes,” the driver said, somewhat mollified. “As fast as I can!”

The got there just in time to see the back of a kippah-clad boy disappearing into the entrance of one of the buildings.

“Wait here,” Aharon said for the umpteenth time that night and opened the car door again. He crept quietly down the stone path, trying to listen to any noise from the stairwell. He heard faint footsteps—very faint—and the rustle of a door closing.

“First or second floor, I believe,” he told the driver as he settled back into the upholstered seat. “Okay, let’s see. What do we do now?”

“Where to?” the driver asked. “Should we follow the motorbike? Or the four other boys, who most probably are long in their own homes? Or perhaps you want me to take you to the nearest police station?” Keep Reading…

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 27 of a new online serial novel, Divided Attention, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every Thursday or Friday. Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © 2010 by Israel Bookshop Publications

Rabbi Paksher tossed his coat onto the nearest chair impatiently.

“David, can you please call Freund, the principal of Birchas HaTorah, for me?” he asked the new secretary and sank into his chair. “They had a break-in last night,” he added as he rose to pick up his forlorn coat and hang it on the hook.

“There, too?” David asked. “Believe me, sir, if I would have been the secretary at the time of the break-ins at this school, well, there wouldn’t have been any break-ins, on my honor!”

“I know that you’re very capable, David,” Reb Nechemia said with a smile, pushing all the paperwork on his desk over to one side. “But I didn’t know that your abilities are quite so broad.”

“Sure, sir!” David said, forgetting that he was supposed to be dialing Rabbi Freund’s number. “Me, if I would have seen an open window, I wouldn’t have let you leave it that way. An open window is an invitation for thieves, you know!”

“Small thieves,” Reb Nechemia agreed with a sigh and signed the first report card on the pile before him, glancing at the grades.

“Small, big, it makes no difference, sir! And I simply don’t understand the police! Why aren’t they doing anything? And now these vandals are just going from place to place and doing as they please!”

“You also think it’s a group?”

“Sure I do,” David said and looked at Reb Nechemia’s hands as he flipped one report card after another. “You can see the same methods repeating themselves. They get things dirty, do some damage, but hardly steal anything!” keep Reading…