Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 34 of a new online serial novel, Beneath the Surface, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every Thursday or Friday. Click here for previous chapters.

“The bottom line is that you have to prepare the questions at home. You can’t just come to class, call a girl’s name, and then begin to quickly scan the Chumash or Navi. Precious time is wasted, important details are omitted, and the test becomes ineffective.” As Mrs. Deutsch, the didactics teacher for limudei kodesh studies, completed her sentence, the bell rang—if its hoarse buzz could be called a ring. She put her spiral notebook back into her briefcase.

“That bell has got to get fixed,” Simi remarked to Rachel as she hurried to the door.

“Hey, where are you going? Aren’t you washing?” Rachel asked in surprise when she saw Simi turning right.

“Not now.”

“So when will you eat?”

“Later.”

Rachel shrugged and joined the stream of girls heading toward the sinks. Simi must be hurrying to the Bnos leaders’ room again. She liked her friend very much and it never entered her mind to envy her, but Simi being a leader meant that she, Rachel, was sometimes left out in the cold, and such moments generated a bitter, unexplained taste in her mouth. Or maybe it was explainable. It was only natural to feel this way, wasn’t it?

“Running there again, isn’t she?”

Rachel whirled around in annoyance. She found it strange that some girls still behaved so babyishly despite being in seminary. But that’s the way things are. Childishness doesn’t always disappear as people grow older. On the contrary, it often becomes more pronounced.

“Who’s running?” she asked, as though not understanding Lakey, the girl standing right behind her, who had made the comment. Keep Reading…

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 33 of a new online serial novel, Beneath the Surface, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every Thursday or Friday. Click here for previous chapters.

Ten minutes after the Orchos Tzaddikim lesson ended and Menuchi left, Mrs. Deutschlander, the principal, appeared at the apartment. The girls crowded around her.

“How are you girls?” she asked warmly, casting glances around her. “I haven’t visited you here in quite some time. I think the last time was…”

“On the first day of school?” Millie filled in for her.

“Right. On the first day of school. Are you managing?”

Adina perused the older woman’s face closely. Was that a fresh crease in her forehead? Perhaps.

“Will you join us for supper?” Chasya Ehrentreau asked, suddenly emerging from the kitchen. “And how are you? You don’t look so good.”

“Oh, I’m fine,” the guest replied, entering the large kitchen. “I didn’t come to eat. I came to speak to you, girls.”

The girls all took their places, chattering as they usually did, not worried in the least. Adina scanned their faces in surprise. How could they maintain such a calm demeanor in such a strange situation? Or perhaps it wasn’t so strange that the principal had suddenly shown up to speak to them, and she was the only tense one because of the snatches of conversation she had overhead.

The aroma of omelets wafted through the kitchen. “It smells delicious, Chasya,” Mrs. Deutschlander said. “Come, girls, let’s get to the point. Unfortunately, I don’t have especially good news for you.” Keep Reading…

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 32 of a new online serial novel, Beneath the Surface, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every Thursday or Friday. Click here for previous chapters.

The door to Mrs. Deutschlander’s office was only partially closed. Adina Baumel put her gray bag down on the old counter in the kitchen and switched on the kettle.

Mrs. Deutschlander’s voice wafted out of the office; she sounded tense, and it was no wonder that her high-pitched tone came through the rather flimsy door. “So what should I do, fire the teachers? Reduce the hours that the girls learn?”

Adina took out a glass cup from the cabinet along with a small saucer. She opened the sugar container and rummaged around for a clean spoon. She didn’t really intend to eavesdrop on the conversation, but it didn’t sound by their tones like anyone was trying to keep matters a secret.

It was quiet in the rest of the apartment cum school building. The girls had already left. Only she was still there, making coffee for the principal, something that had become a habit after spending her long afternoons in conversation with her as the principal tried finding a suitable job for Adina. This was the third or fourth cup for the day.

“I’m afraid we’re going to have to take much more drastic steps,” Adina heard Rabbi Fogel, the seminary administrator, reply. His voice was lower, but also reached Adina’s trying-not-to-listen ears. Keep Reading…

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

At the top of the stairs sat a young woman, looking at her with a smile-cum-grimace of pain. “I had hoped it was you,” she said in Flemish (!), “but really didn’t believe that this would be the way our meeting would occur.”

Chani gaped at her. The face was so familiar! But the tone of voice, the lilt… No, it couldn’t be her; she had nothing to look for here. So who was it?

“Could you please bring me a broom?” the girl asked as she struggled to stand up. “It was supposed to be a gift for you, but the trash can will obviously be the new recipient.”

“A gift?” Chani echoed. “For what?” Suddenly the picture came into focus. This girl—whose identity she was not sure of yet—had obviously come to see her. Apparently she had fallen and something broke. Perhaps she had been injured?

One thing was clear: the girl needed help, urgently, and instead of doing so, she, Chani, was standing and gaping at the scene and asking questions.

“First things first,” she said briskly. “Come inside.”

“Oh, so you’re not throwing me out,” the girl said with relief, limping slightly as she crossed the threshold.

“Throwing you out? Why?”

The girl turned. “If you would do so, it really wouldn’t be fair of you. After all, I did what you wanted. But then, when we spoke, you were so hostile and cold, so it’s only natural that I would be afraid of such a thing.”

“Very natural,” Chani echoed, sensing her last doubts falling away slowly. It was her; it was her voice, and she had come here, obviously as a gesture of good will of some sort.

And perhaps not? Perhaps it was all a show?

She would have to be careful.

She led her unexpected guest into the living room. What now? Should she serve some refreshments? Wait, she had to sweep up the glass in the stairwell. Someone else could fall and get hurt.

But could she leave this gentile girl here herself? Who knew what she could do in the interim? Keep Reading…

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

Simi’s perspective:

I think this was a very good idea. It was an interesting, if not fascinating, hour, and it was the first time I have seen Menuchi so relaxed. Perhaps it’s because here, her strong point was in the limelight. I hope that a few more such sessions will improve things between us.

She wanted me to leave the pages with her. I refused, and I hope I didn’t do any damage by doing so. I was just afraid that she would get ahead and translate on her own. After all, we don’t really have to sit and do this together. She can read it when I’m not there and write the translation, like she offered to do. But I do want us to sit together and work on it.

The day after tomorrow, I have to submit my ideas to the counselors’ box in school. Perhaps I’ll go write the background for the play now, and even the beginning scenes, from what I’ve learned already. We’ll see how it flows.

I’m leafing through the handwritten pages of my translated version, trying to decide with what to open. Perhaps the street fight should be the first scene, and that woman, Diana, will suddenly appear like a rescuing angel? Maybe I should write it in the order that she wrote her memoirs? Or should I begin with her description of the Belgian streets? Or maybe inLondon, even before she decided to travel toBelgium?

Now I pick up the English copy of the story. I told Menuchi that I want to reread the part that we translated already and I want to keep my word. My eyes quickly scan the lines, not stopping in order to understand. Half a page, and then another one, the second page, the third—there, that’s as far as we got. One moment, what’s this woman’s family name? She doesn’t mention it even once. She writes everything in first person, and even omits her first name.

I go into the kitchen. Keep Reading…

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

“Brrr! It’s cold!”Sandyshivered in her fur-lined coat. “What did Adina say it was? The third right turn? Come.”

“Did you count three?” Chaya asked.

“I’m counting three: three girls shivering as they walk on a freezing Friday night,” Ditza joked. “When will we be there already?”

“We’re already on the right block!”Sandycried excitedly. “And this is the building, based on the descriptions!” Streetlights cast dim orbs of light on the dark sidewalk. Flickering candles twinkled in some of the windows.

“So, shall we go up?” Ditza urged her friends on.

“Well, what else? Another minute out here and I’ll be an ice statue!”

They climbed the stairs. “Remember? First door on the first floor, and with letters missing from the nameplate. Tell me, is Adina sure that Menuchi is here this Shabbos?” Chaya asked.

“Maybe you could stop asking so many questions?” Ditza admonished. “Let’s just knock and be over with it!”

They knocked. And they knocked again.

And again.

“I’m telling you, they’re not even home,” Chaya said ominously.

“Wait a minute. Are we sure this is their door?”Sandyasked.

“Come on, you nudniks. It’s their door. It says Ostfeld on the tab near the bell. And they’re home. Don’t you hear the baby screaming?”

They knocked again. And again.

And ag—

“Good Shabbos!” A youthful-looking woman smiled out at them as she opened the door. A red-faced baby—apparently the screamer—was cradled in her arms. Keep Reading…

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

“Here’s Simi!” Yehudis cried when the van stopped. She clumsily stumbled down the steps, Adina Baumel right on her heels. There was no reason to rush back to the dorm today; Menuchi would not be giving her regular lesson. No one had seen her since the day before yesterday, the day of the trip. “I have the flu…” she had croaked hoarsely into the phone. “We’ll continue next week, b’ezras Hashem.”

“Hello!” Adina smiled at Simi. They were almost friends already. “We were happy to see Yehudis back with strong, white teeth! Right, Yehudis?”

The child giggled happily. “Morah Z-zahavah told m-me to enj-joy my new fillings! That’s what she s-said.” She grasped Adina’s hand. “Co-me! Come!”

“Where to?” Adina asked, trying gently to extricate her hand from Yehudis’ grasp.

“Home! See the nice p-pre-sents I got! F-from the doc-doctor and Ab-b-ba and Ima and Simi and Menuchi. And Yitzy gave m-me-me a c-crayon!”

Adina pounced on the last sentence.

“I know who Simi is. Who are Yitzy and Menuchi?” Keep Reading…

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

“What happened to Diana?” Julian asked when he popped in to his parents for a visit. “Haven’t you gotten regards?” he repeated when met by his mother’s stony silence.

“Mother won’t answer you; she doesn’t like to talk about it,” his father interjected with forced apathy. “Diana isn’t at Joyce’s anymore. She left London.”

“Where to?”

Roy looked at his wife. She shrugged. “You can tell him. I don’t care and it doesn’t interest me any longer.”

He turned back to Julian. “She flew to Israel. She’s volunteering on a kibbutz there.”

“What?”

Now his mother turned to face him. “And if I was already so happy that her connection to Judaism had been broken off, it’s back, big time.Israel! I mean, really! What is she looking for over there?”

“Something, apparently,”Roy said dryly.

“What do you mean?” She put the enamel bowl she was holding down with a bang onto the table.

“Nothing. But Diana is smart. She knows what she’s doing.”

“Hmph!” Mrs. Molis sniffed and took a big spoon. “You’re too big of a believer in her sense of discretion. She’s not even twenty-five yet, you might recall!”

He didn’t react.

“If she doesn’t come back within two weeks, I will simply go and bring her back!”

Her son raised his eyebrows. “Really? To Israel?”

“Yes! A mother is allowed to know what her daughter’s up to, isn’t she?” Keep Reading…

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 26 of a new online serial novel, Beneath the Surface, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every Thursday or Friday. Click here for previous chapters.

“Yehudis and Tzippy! Sit down nicely! Baruch! I’m closing the window; you’re sticking your hand out!” The boy looked at Adina with interest. He asked her something, but she didn’t understand.

“What?” she asked.

“Say ‘yeladim’!” he said in an almost clear voice. She laughed.

“Yeladim! Everyone sit down nicely!” She glanced out the window. The gray day was cold and windy; pieces of paper and dry leaves blew every which way.

“Children, look out the windows. There’s a big, big tree. It’s so big!” She stretched her arm towards the ceiling of the van. “And it’s so, so sad! So very sad! Why? Because all the leaves went so far away. The leaves are its sweater.  And now it’s cold because it doesn’t have a sweater. What should we say to make it happy?” She pretended to act chilly and shivered.

The children didn’t respond. They were riveted to her little performance and didn’t even consider looking out the window.

Adina continued in her pidgin Hebrew. “Let’s tell the tree: Don’t be sad, tree. Don’t be crying!” She covered her face with her eyes and pretended to weep. A few children tittered. The rest gaped at her in fascination.

The driver stopped the van. “What happened?” Adina panicked for a minute. “Everyone’s sitting so nicely!”

“They are sitting very nicely,” the driver said, leaning back in his seat. He took a crumpled newspaper out of his gray satchel and opened it up. “We’re at the Shlomowitzes’ house.” At that moment, Adina noticed a young boy running down the path.

“Sorry I’m late,” Baruch Shlomowitz’s brother apologized. “Is Baruch here?”

Adina nodded. She understood his question. “Bye, Baruch, have a good day!”

Baruch stopped at the van’s open door but didn’t get off.

“Do you need help?” Adina offered. Keep Reading…

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 25 of a new online serial novel, Beneath the Surface, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every Thursday or Friday. Click here for previous chapters.

A young woman entered quietly. “Shoshana, are our cards ready?” she asked.

Shoshana shook her head in the negative and motioned for her to wait as she continued conversing with the technician on the phone.

“They’re urgent for Naomi. She asked for them right now,” the woman said, walking over to the lamination machine on a side table, near Adina’s chair.

“Hello,” she said pleasantly as she caught Adina’s eye. Adina smiled in response, trying to understand the Hebrew words flying over her head.

Shoshana finished her phone conversation and turned to the young woman. “It’s not such a big deal to take care of,” she said. “But yesterday, when I was peeling potatoes, I cut my finger and it’s hard for me to work the machine. So I guess you can do it yourself, if you know how and you have a few minutes, or Naomi will have to use the cards the way they are…”

“I…can do it…the lamination,” Adina said quickly, and even before the young woman had a chance to react, she switched on the machine.

“That would be a great help! Who are you?” Keep Reading…