Raquela had a secret On Friday nights she followed her parents down to the wine cellar under their house There her mother would light Shabbat candles and her father would say a prayer over the wine That secret room was the only place the Rivera family could celebrate Shabbat
In Spain where Raquela lived Jews were forbidden from practicing their religion The king and queen punished those who were caught observing Jewish customs or celebrating Jewish holidays
But Raquela’s parents had told her about the holiday of Passover a celebration of freedom that they could speak of only in whispers Raquela dreamed of a Passover seder
