But the epidemic of
anti-Jewish atrocities of 1881 and 1882 were fresh in one's mind,
so word was passed round "not to irritate the Gentiles." The
younger and "modern" element in town took exception to this
timidity. They insisted upon a demonstrative funeral. They were
organizing for self-defense in case the procession was interfered
with, but the counsel of older people prevailed. As a consequence,
the number of mourners following the hearse was even smaller
than it would have been if my mother had died a natural death.
And the few who did take part in the sad procession were
unusually silent. A Jewish funeral without a chorus of sobbing
women was inconceivable in Antomir. Indeed, a pious matron who
happens to come across such a scene will join in the weeping,
whether she had ever heard of the deceased or not. On this
occasion, however, sobs were conspicuous by their absence
"'S-sh! 's-sh! None of your wailing!" an old man kept admonishing
the women
I spent the "Seven Days "(of mourning) in our basement, where I
received visits from neighbors, from the families of my two
distant relatives, from Reb Sender and other Talmudists of my
synagogue.
Pages:
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98