The Hanukkah Visit

Adam had traveled to Carson City to pick up his father's Christmas present, a hat the he had ordered from Philadelphia. Adam's fear was that if he had it delivered to Virginia City, his father would pick up the mail one day and see the package with the return address of John Stetson from Philadelphia. Then his father would know or at least be able to guess and not be surprised when he opened his present-and Adam wanted to surprise him. Many a night as he had looked at his father sitting quietly with his eyes closed, puffing on his pipe, Adam could picture the surprise and joy on his father's face when he would open the hat box and lift out the hat. Then Adam could picture his father standing in front of the mirror, adjusting the brim to suit him best and make it his own hat.

Since Adam rarely traveled to Carson City and since it was so close to Christmas and a time for visiting friends, Adam asked the postmaster how to find the home of Aaron Kaufman; he had promised both Mr. Kaufman and his daughter Rebecca that he would visit the next time he was in Carson City. And he wanted to see Rebecca again. Although he no longer held the hope that he and Rebecca might have a serious relationship, he still thought of her every so often and wondered how she was and if she still thought of him. Adam knew it was only vanity but he still wanted to know.

"Well," the postmaster said, "go east on this street and on the edge of town is where all the Jews live; they don't want to live among us and it's probably better that way 'cause some people, well, they like to make fun of their ways and taunt them. Now I got nothing against Jews, it's just that they're so secretive about everything, you know, that people get upset. And all their shops and such are on the edge of town too. They don't eat pork, you know and their Sunday is Saturday." The postmaster suddenly though better of what he had said; perhaps this man before him was one of those Jews. "Don't misunderstand me any, as I said, I got nothing against any man long as he's peaceful and all that."

"I didn't misunderstand," Adam said. Actually, Adam thought, from the way most people talked about the Chinese, Irish, Indians, Negroes and Jews, the postmaster was the most honest and least prejudicial person he had talked with about the matter. "Thank you for the directions." Adam started to leave and then turned back. "Do you know which house is Mr. Kaufman's?"

"Not really. I'd tell you to look for a long, narrow metal box stuck on a pole outside their house but they all have that-and it ain't no mailbox either." Adam smiled at the remark.

"Thanks. I guess I'll just have to figure it out." Adam strapped the brown-paper wrapped package behind his saddle and gingerly mounted his horse; he didn't want to knock the package aside. Then he rode east and passed the shops which had words in English and some in Hebrew and he knew he was on the right path.

Adam rode quietly through the streets that were practically deserted except for a few men, their broad-brimmed black hats pulled down around their ears, rushing as if they were in a great hurry to get home and out of the cold. It had been dusk when he stopped at the postmaster's but now it was definitely dark and it would have been difficult to see well except that all the small, tidy houses had a lamp in at least one window that helped light the street. He was going to ask one of the few people he saw about the Kaufman's home until he saw the peddler's wagon parked beside a house and Adam knew that he had found it.

Adam dismounted and tied Sport to the front hitching ring and walked up the three stairs to the front door and rapped on it with his knuckles. The door was slowly opened and Rebecca Kaufman peeked out. When she saw that it was Adam, she broke into a wide grin.

"Adam," she cried in pleasure, "Oh, how nice to have you here tonight and you're just in time. Come in, come in." Rebecca stepped aside, holding the door open for Adam and he stepped inside, pulling off his hat. "Poppa, Poppa," she called, "Adam Cartwright is here! Poppa!"

Adam stepped into the parlor and Aaron Kaufman came to him and took his hand, a gentle smile on his face.

"My good friend, Adam. You have honored my home on such a special night; you are our gift on the first night of the Festival of the Lights and there can be no greater gift than the visit of a friend and no brighter light that shines than friendship."

"Well, thank you, Mr. Kaufman. I was hoping that I wouldn't be an imposition but if I am, please…be honest with me and let me know." Adam didn't feel uncomfortable but he also didn't want any unintended rudeness of his overlooked.

"The visit of a friend is never an imposition. And your father, Adam, he is well?"

"Yes, he's very well," Adam said. He couldn't help but smile at the older man who was so gentle and warm.

"And your brothers? I trust that all is well with them ."

"Yes," Adam said, laughing. "It's good to report that all on the Ponderosa are happy and healthy."

"Good, good," Kaufman said, "You must stay and have dinner with us, then. It is a special feast tonight."

"I would be pleased to stay," Adam said. He looked for Rebecca and saw that she was standing next to a man, about as old as himself but with a beard and with dark, serious eyes and wearing a yarmulke as Mr. Kaufman was.

"Rivka," the man said. "Who is your visitor?" The man spoke to Rebecca, not in a stern tone but a tone of authority.

"Rivka?" Adam asked quizzically.

"Rivka is my name in Hebrew," Rebecca said. "Here," she said, reaching for Adam's hand and drawing him to them. "Adam Cartwright, this is my betrothed, Abraham Levy. Abraham, this is the man who was our salvation and deliverance. Remember the story about the robbery? Adam is the one who saved us from the two men."

"In that case," Abraham said to Adam, "I welcome you and consider it an honor to meet you. Please, you should be comfortable; take off your jacket." Adam smiled; he liked Abraham. Since Rebecca had explained their relationship, he could see Abraham relax and his smile became easy and friendly.

"Why thank you," Adam said, taking off his jacket and Rebecca took it and placed it on a coat rack.

"Poppa," Rebecca said, "It's time for the lighting, isn't it."

"Yes, yes, hurry! Rebecca, be a good daughter and get Adam one of my caps-hurry!"

Rebecca quickly came back and handed a small skull cap to Adam who, taking his cue from the other two men, adjusted it on his head. Rebecca smiled and reached up while Adam bent down slightly and she helped him to position it properly. The three of them stood silently while Mr. Kaufman lit a candle that was higher than the others and then took that one to light one single, solitary candle on the far right. Kaufman, Rebecca and Abraham sang a song in Hebrew and Adam listened to the melding of their voices. After that, Mr. Kaufman began to recite a series of prayers, and although Adam couldn't understand what was said, he felt his throat close as he tried not to weep. There was something so moving about the depth of Kaufman's voice, the musical quality of the prayers that Adam felt as if God was actually in the room with them in an intimate manner that was often missing in his church where some people gossiped in soft whispers during the sermon and some men nodded off while children pushed and shoved each other in their boredom.

After the lighting of the candle, Kaufman place the odd-looking candelabrum in a window. The window on the opposite side of the room had a lamp that was burning brightly. Rebecca leaned over to Adam and said, "In a half hour, we put out the candles but now, we will eat."

"Yes," Kaufman said. "Now, let's eat the food that Rebecca has prepared. Come, Adam, come sit with us and enjoy our feast."

"Well, I know I said I would, but if I'm imposing..," Adam said, "you weren't expecting me and…"

"You insult me in my home by refusing my hospitality! Rebecca, what type of friend does that?"

"Yes, Poppa! What friend would he be then?"

Adam was taken aback but then Rebecca and Abraham laughed at his discomfiture; they were teasing him in the hope of making him comfortable. "Well, if you're sure there's enough."

"Enough? Adam, I would take the food off my own plate to feed a friend but lucky for us both, that will not be necessary. It has been a good year for Kaufman, the peddler. Come, honor my table with your presence." Adam smiled and said that he would stay.

"Heaven forbid," Adam said, "that I should insult my old friend, Kaufman." And the four walked into the small dining room.

Adam looked around at the heavy, sturdy furniture, the table and the sideboard. There were hand-woven runners across the tops of the pieces in bright colors of red and white and yellow. The mellow light from the lamp that lit the room warmed Adam's heart. And the men sat down while Rebecca brought Adam a wine glass and set another place for him. Then she went to the kitchen and brought out a large platter of what to Adam, looked like hot cakes. On the table already were bowls of applesauce, sour cream, raisins, chopped dates and a bottle of wine. Then Rebecca sat and joined them.

"Poppa," Rebecca said," All the food is set."

"And we thank you for providing the food for us, my daughter. Please, Adam, you are the guest, you must be served first," Kaufman said.

Adam was flustered; he had always been raised that ladies went first. Rebecca understood Adam's confusion. "Please, Adam, please serve yourself. After all, we can't eat until you have food and Abraham came here tonight hungry. He will be upset if he doesn't eat soon!"

Adam looked confused and then they all laughed and Adam helped himself to the "hot cakes" and then took his cue from what the others put on the round, fried cakes. Adam found out that they were called latkes, potato pancakes basically, and that he liked them best with sour cream and dates; it was a combination the he found pleasing with the texture of the grated potatoes, the sweetness of the dates and the acidity of the sour cream. He found himself eating more than he should but the latkes kept coming out of the kitchen and it seemed to make Kaufman happy to see his guest enjoy the meal served in his house by his daughter.

After the meal was over and the candles were extinguished, Kaufman sat and smoked his pipe and Adam, Rebecca and Abraham sat and talked. Rebecca had asked him what brought him to Carson City and Adam told them about the hat for his father.

"I'm a hatter," Abraham said, "but it's a redundant job when you're Jewish; everyone wears the same hat. A man comes in and he wants a hat. I show him a hat in his size and he tries it on, looks in the mirror and says, no, show me another one. I go in the back, bring him back the same hat and he says, I'll take it." It took a few seconds for Adam to realize it was a joke at their expense and then he laughed along with Abraham. And as they talked, Adam found that Abraham knew about John Stetson in Philadelphia and had longings himself of branching out on his own and making many types and styles of hats. Abraham asked to see Adam's hat that he had worn in and the two men discussed hats and joked and laughed and Adam felt a warmth toward Abraham and although Rebecca still had the attraction of her happy beauty, Adam no longer felt desire toward her-now he felt more as a brother to her than a potential husband.

And after an hour more, Adam rose to leave and Abraham said that he should leave as well and go back to his father's home. Adam asked Abraham about spending the first night of Hanukkah with the Kaufman's rather than with his family. Abraham gave a small chuckle. "Adam," he explained, "one, Rebecca and I are betrothed and I will soon be Mr. Kaufman's son and Rivka is Mr. Kaufman's only relative. And then, Adam, I have six brothers and four sisters at home; my family is always praying that someone else will feed their children once in a while!" Adam laughed at that.

The Kaufmans invited Adam to stay the night but Adam refused; he had a horse to take to the livery, he explained and would find a room in the hotel. He had to leave before daylight and they weren't to worry about him. So reluctantly, Mr. Kaufman allowed his hospitality to be declined.

Rebecca walked Adam out while Abraham politely waited inside; perhaps, Adam thought, Rebecca has told Abraham about our kiss and wants to let us say goodbye alone. Adam untied his horse and stood in the chilly air. "I hope that you'll be happy, Rebecca. When is the wedding?"

"In March. Abraham is a good man and Poppa likes him."

Adam laughed. "Yes, that's important," Adam said, noticing that Rebecca hadn't mentioned love. "And if it's worth anything, I like him too."

Rebecca smiled at him. "Yes, Adam, it's important to me. Thank you for that."

"May I kiss the bride?" Adam asked. Rebecca smiled and said, yes, and Adam bent over and kissed her on the cheek. Then he mounted his horse and waving once to Rebecca as she stood in the yard, her shawl pulled tightly about her, he went at a slow trot down the street toward the center of town. Even though the night air was crisp, Adam felt warm from the love of friends and family that infused the Kaufman home and Adam realized that even though he and his family would exchange gifts with each other and would enjoy their own traditions, the fact that they loved each other, that through some cosmic plan they were joined irrevocably to one another as family, that was the greatest gift they could give each other and could receive.

~Finis~