Candle holders

 

How do I start a story about my beautiful candlesticks?
Perhaps I should go back in time to the year 1980.

 Forty  years ago, after arriving from former Soviet Union, my family and I lived in Windsor. The first time we set foot on Canadian soil was in March.

Six months later, my husband found a job in the town of Elmira, near Kitchener.
Temporarily he lived with our friends with whom fate brought us together in Italy, where we were waiting for a visa to Canada.
  Come, I found a couple of apartments here, I want you to check, - said my husband one day.
 I came to Kitchener .
In the evening, tired and hungry and decided to stop at the famous farmers' market to buy something to eat.
I had  fifty dollars in my pocket, which at that time I could feed my whole family for a week, with.
Deep in thoughts about the apartment and the imminent move, I suddenly heard the sounds of Jewish music.

The music was coming from somewhere above.
 I went up the stairs.
The sign I saw said “Hadassah bazaar”.

The first thing that came to my sight were two bronze candlesticks.
The intricate grape vines were sliding up from greenish base to the beautiful clusters of grapes in the middle, and up to the top, were they ended with a little cups for the candles.
Something trembled inside me. I was standing there and could note move.
- How much is it? - I asked in my broken English.
 - Thirty five dollars, - was the answer.

I could not tear myself away from the magical beauty of these candlesticks.
Without thinking any longer, I handed the money to the woman at the stand.
Wrapping my purchase, she said a few words that I still remember.
    - Let the candles illuminate your house with all good, health, happiness and prosperity, and usher in the peace and sanctity of Shabbat.
A little while after we moved to Kitchener,  we sent our children to Sunday school in the Beth Jacob congregation to learn Hebrew.
 To my surprise, the woman who sold me the Shabbat,  candlesticks, turned out to be the  Rabbi Rosensweig' wife.
She recognized me.
We got to talking. She ask me about my profesion.
 - Pharmacist, - I answered, - but in Canada my diploma have to be approved.

A few weeks later after shabbat services, a tall man approached me . 

- I am Peter Thomas,  - he introduced himself. - I heard you are looking for a job.            
I know that in  Chemical Engineering department at the University of Waterloo   opened a position for research assistant, - he said.

And that’s how I got my first job.

My girls had a beautiful Bat -Mitzvah  at Beth Jacob congregation. 
In front of a whole community they confidently sang Hebrew prayers.
My heart blossomed at that moment, my eyes were field with happy tears.
 
Every time I am lighting shabbat candles, I remember the Rebbetzin Rosensweig’s words - Let the candles illuminate your house with all good, health, happiness and prosperity, and usher in the peace and sanctity of Shabbat.


By Rosa Levit.