Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 42 of a new online serial novel, Nine A.M., by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week.  Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

א ב ג ד ה ו ז ח ט י

Beneath the letters on the wall was a drawing of a child wearing a yarmulke, sitting and reading a book. Binyamin stared unseeingly at the drawing. “The idea to break into their house isn’t all that bad…” he said.

“Not bad.” Naomi’s lips curled cynically. “And can you lower your voice a little, Binyamin? There are children here, and as young as they are, their ears are huge. Anyway, like I said, bli neder I’ll run over to her after work today, okay? I can’t imagine there’s too much time left to your break now, in any case.”

“Fine.” Binyamin gave in. “So, what will you tell her when you go?”

“I don’t know—whatever Hashem puts in my mouth.”

“Okay, fine. Good luck. This picture is nice, by the way.”

“One of the mothers came and drew it.” Naomi nodded. The children were frolicking around them with mounting energy, and Binyamin glanced over at them and then sighed.

“It hurts me to think about what will be with the bigger kids here in a few months. I just saw the ones who are taking care of the lambs and the foxes. Believe me, they are babies, literally… When are they supposed to have time to learn to read from a siddur?”

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 41 of a new online serial novel, Nine A.M., by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week.  Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

To the honorable Mr. Josef Wangel,

About half a year ago, I purchased a fur coat produced by your factory, ahead of a trip to London. It should be noted that throughout my stay there, I received countless compliments on the coat, which is unmatched in beauty and quality, and especially for its elegant finishing touches. I wish to offer you my blessings for this. I told all my acquaintances, both in London and in Austria, where I purchased the coat, and how satisfied I am with your exceptional work. There is no doubt that many years of family knowledge cannot be disputed.

Of course, going forward, I will purchase such items only from your unique factory.

Signed,

Victor Nissel, Head of the Social Democratic Party, Austria

The workers in the office read the letter with interest, smiled, as was expected of them, and complimented the Hauptmann standing at the door—also as was expected of them, even though the “family knowledge” mentioned in the letter was more their own than that of the Hauptmann, who was nevertheless glowing proudly and with satisfaction.

“I think all the factory workers will get a nice bonus for this,” he said. “I hope I’ll be able to get this letter published in the media. A bit of popularity among consumers won’t hurt us now. As you know,” he scowled suddenly, “people turned against us when we chased away curious eclipse tourists from the hillsides. And because neither I, nor you, want our sales to decline, we should all be working full force to ensure that such letters become a matter of course.”

He pointed to the letter. “This will hang here on the wall,” he noted, “so that everyone should remember what kind of output you are able to reach. Now, I want the young man Schvirtz here.”

“Can I ask why?” Leo Sherer asked submissively, but not before he motioned to one of the office boys to go call Binyamin from the factory.

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 40 of a new online serial novel, Nine A.M., by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week.  Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

Abba comes home. Chana runs to Abba. Nosson also runs to Abba. Abba is happy.

Nosson gives Abba a date. Chana gives Abba a shoe.

Abba says, “Nosson is smart! Chana is smart! Thank you, children, thank you!”

“I’m already a reading expert,” Aryeh said with satisfaction as he put the paper down on the table. “I only had trouble with that last line, but I was able to figure it out.”

“I really wanted the father to tell them something else, but I couldn’t find something with the right nekudos,” Naomi said, taking out a small box of sugar.“If I would be more fluent in Lashon Hakodesh, maybe I would find better words with kamatz and pasach…” She smiled. “And maybe I would also find an idea for something else that Nosson could give the father… But my girls enjoy reading about a tamar,a date. The idea excites them even though none of them has ever seen the fruit.” She stopped and looked at her husband. She didn’t hear anything, but from experience she already knew that his sense of hearing was much sharper than hers, and clearly, he had just heard something.

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 39 of a new online serial novel, Nine A.M., by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week.  Click here for previous chapters.

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

Sodium Chloride (15 kg)

Sodium Silicofluoride (1 kg)

Zinc Chloride (2 kg)

Formaldehyde (200 ml)

Sodium Bisulfate (2 kg)

Norsulfazol/Sulfidin/Furacilin (25 tablets)

Mix the ingredients well until it becomes a smooth mixture. Soak the fur in the mixture for a few hours until the hard top layer disappears entirely—

“Binyamin, how are you? Baruch Rofei cholim!” Mottel Kush cast a shadow on the paper his young friend was working on as he chewed on an apple.

“Baruch Hu u’baruch Shemo, I do feel much better.”

“What’s this paper?”

“This? These are instructions plus a list of ingredients for the initial soaking of the furs.”

“I got that much.” Mottel smiled and sat down on a nearby tree stump, far from the other workers who were using the break to grab a snack. “I meant to ask why you are sitting and writing it, and more than that—why are you writing nonsense? Fifteen kilograms of Sodium Chloride? You can throw that fur right into the garbage! What else did you write there? Twenty-five tablets…really! It’s one thing if you put in Norsulfazol, but Sulfidin? You need at least fifty if you want to keep the proportions that you started with.”