Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 35 of a new online serial novel, Dance of the Puppet, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week. Click here for previous chapters. 

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

Only at the last second did Malka grab the door and prevent it from slamming behind her. In the principal’s office, the vetting committee, which had gathered that morning to discuss the registration issues, remained silent.

At first, Malka hadn’t understood why they had done it in the school. Usually, one of the committee members offered his or her home, and the location of the meeting remained a guarded secret until it began, so that there would not be any outside disturbances. As it was, they were all working under a lot of constant pressure.

Now everything was clear to her. All of them were apparently aware that this would not be just another meeting, and none of them wanted his or her dining room to be the venue for the tense confrontation. Only she, naïve that she was, had come this morning with no prior knowledge, to hear some names that she perhaps was familiar with and maybe to offer some recommendations for Mimi’s friends.

She stalked into the main office, passing Chana, Faigy, and Sari without giving them a glance, and walked out into the yard. The fury and hurt roiled together in her stomach, forming a hard knot. Now she was standing outside here like a girl who’d gotten thrown out of class and had fled from the corridor so that the principal—or even worse, Mrs. Mann—wouldn’t discover her. Keep Reading…

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 34 of a new online serial novel, Dance of the Puppet, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week. Click here for previous chapters. 

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

“Ehud?”

“Yes?”

“I thought about the esrog box you saw. Don’t buy it. The old lady is asking much more money than it’s worth.”

“Even though it’s almost two hundred years old?”

“Even so. It’s not worth the money.”

“Whatever you say,” Elchanan said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. If he would have enough money, he would have gone to buy the esrog box from Mrs. Wolkovsky himself, and used it to form his own antiques collection. But he didn’t have enough money, surely not with the new car.

“Something else, Ehud.”

“Yes?” Elchanan asked. Menashe did not usually call before eleven in the morning, unless it was very urgent.

“We’re upgrading all our employees’ cell phones. I want you to come into the office today to get your new phone.”

Elchanan raised an eyebrow. “I have a trip to Tel Aviv scheduled for today.”

“Okay, so make a detour and come in anyway. Why shouldn’t you have the better model today already?” Keeep Reading…

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 33 of a new online serial novel, Dance of the Puppet, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week. Click here for previous chapters. 

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

Elchanan stood behind the office door, patting his pocket. The thick envelope was there, of course. He wanted to see Menashe or Mati count the money and enter the figures into the computer. He had to find a way to see them do it, and then he would be able to see if their mistakes were part of their modus operandi.

If he wanted to go out on his own one day, he had to learn how to run a business. He didn’t think there was anything deceptive about recording higher prices than what they had actually received, because it just meant they were paying higher income tax. Was there another source of profit here that he didn’t know about? He was definitely curious, but at this point, he did not want to ask directly. First he would see what he could find out in a more roundabout fashion.

“It’s not like that, I’m telling you.”

“And I’m telling you it is, Bar-On.”

“Are you nuts? Here are your very nice receipts, clear and smooth. I’m printing them now. Read them and tell me if a single comma there is out of place.”

Elchanan’s hand froze midway to the knob. A heated exchange was taking place inside, and the voices were loud enough to be heard through the closed door. Was someone accusing Mati Bar-On of being dishonest? That someone also sounded familiar to him from somewhere, but it wasn’t Menashe. Keep Reading…

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 32 of a new online serial novel, Dance of the Puppet, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week. Click here for previous chapters. 

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

“Sounds nice,” Yael said reservedly the next day, “but from a chinuch perspective, I’m not so sure about it. I mean, this group of girls really deserves a dressing down, and instead, you invite them over for an evening of fun?”

“It wasn’t all fun,” Yaffa noted. “There were awkward silences and some unpleasant moments.”

“I don’t know, but I’m not sure it was in place,” her deputy insisted. “Such a thing can really cause jealousy. What will you tell the other girls on Ruach and Afar? That because they didn’t kick up a fuss, they weren’t invited to you? They don’t deserve compensation?”

Yaffa mulled this over. “If so,” she said, “then ask about the other two teams; their chagigah was also ruined. Don’t they deserve compensation, too?”

“Yes, and so?”

“I guess you’re right,” Yaffa said wearily. “I didn’t think of it.”

But when, during the first recess of the day, the teachers of those classes—every single one of them—reported that the atmosphere had significantly improved, Yael didn’t say a word. She just wrinkled her nose quietly. The recess itself was also much quieter in the corridors, and it seemed as though peace had finally been restored to the school, after weeks of tension and fighting.

During the twelve o’clock break, two girls entered Yaffa’s office. She recognized them as two of the girls who’d been at her home the night before; one was the accordion player, and one was the girl who’d lugged down the huge garbage bag at the end of the evening.

“Mrs. Levinsky,” they said, smiling. “We’re from Team Ruach, and no one saw our performance. Can we perform it one day for the other teams? And then we’ll find out who the winner is.”

“I don’t think we’re going to do that,” Yaffa said, studying their faces. “After all, you don’t deserve a prize.” Keep Reading…

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 31 of a new online serial novel, Dance of the Puppet, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week. Click here for previous chapters. 

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

She was resting much less here than in the hospital, but despite her lethargy, Adina Kotzker was satisfied. She was aware of her condition, and did not expect any major breakthroughs in just three days. Nevertheless, the feeling that she was working and progressing—even if progress meant just the slightest movement of two fingers—gave her a pleasant feeling.

But with all this, she was tired. “That’s it,” she told her husband, daughter, and son on Friday morning. “Now you’re all going home to Yerushalayim, and you’re not coming back here until Sunday. There are telephones, and you’ll be able to hear that I’m alive and well from home, too. Please don’t stay another minute.”

“Really, Ima,” Shaul protested. “You’re going to stay here alone?”

“At least let Abba stay,” Malka pleaded.

“And who will take care of him? Where will he sleep? Eat?”

“Miriam Korman lives right here in the area and has already told me that her home is open for whomever we need. She’d be very happy to host Abba.”

“Out of the question,” Adina said decisively. Her speech had improved over the past few days, even though the speech therapist had been there for only one session since Adina had arrived. “You know how hard it is for Abba to fall asleep in a strange house. He can hardly sleep in your houses.”

Shaul and Malka exchanged looks that bordered on insulted, but their mother didn’t notice. “Abba will come on Motza’ei Shabbos, and for the next week you two can come to visit whenever it’s convenient for you. You were wonderful these past three days, but now it’s time to get back to normal life, please.” Keep Reading…

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 30 of a new online serial novel, Dance of the Puppet, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week. Click here for previous chapters. 

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

The phone rang in Rabbi Weinstock’s office.

“Rabbi Weinstock?”

“Oh, hello, Reb Aryeh,” Reb Yeshayahu said, recognizing the caller’s voice. “How are you?”

“Baruch Hashem, we’re thankful for every day. How are things at the yeshivah?”

“Baruch Hashem, the boys are learning very well. If you happen to be in the area, and you’d like to drop in to see the new air conditioners in the dining room, I would be very pleased.”

“Well, until then, I’ll suffice with regards from afar,” the philanthropist from Haifa said with a chuckle. “And I don’t have to mention the Yizkor board, right?”

“It’s already hanging up since the beginning of the Elul zman,” Reb Yeshayahu replied. “So, Reb Aryeh, how are you feeling? How’s the diabetes?”

“Up and down,” the caller replied. “Actually, I’m calling now about my sister’s granddaughter, from Yerushalayim. You have connections with Shaarei…um, Shaarei something High School—what’s the name again?”

“Shaarei Binah?”

“Yes, that’s it. How could I have forgotten it? You have connections there, right? Through the board or something?”

“Yes.”

“Good. So it’s like this. My sister’s granddaughter’s name is Tzipora Biderman, and she’s a good girl. She’s not so strong scholastically, but aside from that, she’s a top girl, yes?”

“I understand,” the rosh yeshivah of Shaarei Aharon said cautiously. Keep Reading…

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 29 of a new online serial novel, Dance of the Puppet, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week. Click here for previous chapters. 

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

Rivi, from Team Mayim, was holding court backstage. “It’s a bit annoying to be the first to perform,” she declared. “After the three other teams finish, everyone will forget what we did.”

“No one will forget,” Morah Yael Braun said, suddenly appearing out of nowhere. “Don’t worry, Rivi, okay? We’re keeping track. Hurry up, girls, please. We want to start the program.”

Malka opened the chagigah by delivering a brachah from her mother to her beloved students. Yael was to close the program after the winning group would be announced. Yaffa, as expected, refused to even come up to the stage.

“I complained to Mrs. Levinsky this morning about us being drawn to go first,” Zehava whispered as she pinned the waistband of her costume skirt with a large safety pin. “She listened to me very seriously and promised to try not to forget anything. Can I tell you I think that’s going to help much?”

“Well, at least she’s fair,” Rivi grumbled, checking her gold vest in the mirror. “And there really is nothing to do about it. A goral is a goral.”

Shira, from 10a, walked into the backstage area just then. “Mayim!” she shouted angrily. “I want you at the door to the stage in one minute—is that clear? The audience is losing patience.”

“The audience will be fine,” Rivi muttered with two bobby pins stuck between her lips. “We’ll be there in a minute. No pressure, Shira, dear, okay? Your dance will start as soon as we’re all ready. Take it easy.” Keep Reading…

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 28 of a new online serial novel, Dance of the Puppet, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week. Click here for previous chapters. 

Copyright © Israel Bookshop Publications. 

After the shiur klali, Rabbi Weinstock discussed the material with an animated group of shiur gimmel bachurim who would not let him go. Dovi Brim was not one of them, but at least during the shiur he had sat in the first row, and given the impression of being focused and alert. The rosh yeshivah wondered what Mrs. Levinsky had said to him that had already had such a positive effect. He hadn’t been wrong about her. The high school had really gained from the situation, despite the unfortunate circumstances.

There was a phone call waiting for him in the office. “Levinsky,” the secretary said, raising his eyes.

“Levinsky?” Reb Yeshayahu took the phone. “Hello?”

“Shalom aleichem,” a male voice responded. “This is Elchanan Levinsky.”

Reb Yeshayahu was confused for a second, but then understood. “Aleichem shalom,” he said. “First of all, I have to say that Brim came to shiur today with renewed energy. It looks like your wife knew just what to say to him.”

Elchanan ignored the fact that his wife had abandoned the scene and left him at the forefront. “I really hope we succeeded,” he said politely. “I wanted to discuss the matter of Dovi’s music with you.”

“Music?” Keep Reading…