Chapter One Yet another Friday night when Rivka Simon should be having fun Her friends were at the movies She was at home for family dinner Come on everyone her mom called urging them to stand around the table Rivka’s dad dimmed the lights Her brothers stood at their places Rivka trudged into the dining room after them last as usual Her mom struck a match Smoke and the smell of sulfur curled through the room She held the flame to two white candles in the center of the table The wicks caught and flared illuminating the faces of Rivka’s family Her mother’s voice rose as she began 1
the Hebrew blessing for lighting candles on Shabbat evening the beginning of the Jewish day of rest Her dad joined in and then her older brother Noah Even nine-year-old Eli Rivka didn’t sing It was a protest She wanted to be out with her friends Her dad lifted the silver wine glass high above the table and began the second prayer When they were done singing he took a sip and passed it to her mom who took a sip too Eli drank and gave the glass to Noah who drank and held it out to Rivka When she didn’t reach for it he said What do you have against grape juice She grimaced He was trying to be sweet but that made her even more irritated Rivka took the glass from him and took the smallest sip possible Another protest Her mother lifted the golden loaf of braided challah bread and held it over the center of the table so that they could each touch it Rivka didn’t want to but her mom raised an eyebrow Rivka reached out with one finger frowning Would you like to say the blessing over the challah her mom asked Rivka shook her head 2
Her mother held her gaze a moment before turning to Noah He was fifteen and his voice had just changed and when he sang he sounded almost like their dad After the prayer their mother tore off large pieces of the soft still-warm bread for each of them Rivka wanted to refuse but it was hard to turn down challah and there wouldn’t be any more for the next six weeks She was leaving for Quartz Creek Ranch on Sunday morning Challah was absolutely the only thing about Shabbat that she was going to miss So said her mom handing around a platter of salmon Big weekend in the Simon household How’s the packing going Eli practically bounced out of his seat I’m ready he crowed I’m totally ready to go I can’t wait I want to be the first one there Do you think I’ll get a top bunk Their dad laughed It was Eli’s first year at B’nai B’rith summer camp and he had been packed for a week How about you Noah Her brother shrugged I’ll be ready to go Their dad grinned Exciting summer for you Noah was going to be a junior counselor this year Just like their dad had been Just like their mom 3
Be careful you don’t end up married her mom teased Noah It was an old joke A stupid joke Their parents had met as junior counselors at the very same sum mer camp made out on the dock at night and even tually had their wedding there Whatever They were constantly telling those dumb old stories Rivka What she said mouth full of bread Her mom pursed her lips Again Her mom had looked like a lemon-sucker for weeks now at least whenever she was dealing with Rivka After you have finished chewing her mom said in a clipped tone you can tell me how your packing is coming along You won’t have much time tomorrow because of Natalie’s bat mitzvah Rivka swallowed I’m not going The expression on her mother’s face hardened Her dad cleared his throat He’d been doing a lot of that lately too We discussed this Rivka Natalie has been studying hard It’s her big day I’m sure it will be great for her Even Eli stopped eating His eyes darted around the table zooming in on the source of the trouble Stop looking at me Rivka snapped 4
