Such a big grave for such a tiny woman, I thought, as I watched the small body slide into the hole. But when I heard the number of emotional eulogies and turned around to see the crowd, I realized the grave was too small. Whether in Yiddish or Hebrew the poems read were all accompanied by tears. It is clear she will be sorely missed.
She lies next to her mate, Mula Ben Haim, who was very important to my mother. When they first came to visit me in Israel, in 1973, they asked me to take them to Mula in his shack where he was surrounded by his paintings. My mother introduced him as the boy she used to baby-sit for in Lida – but I also suspect that Mula and perhaps Rivka as well helped get them out. I put 3 stones on his grave for them, and stones on Rivka’s grave for all those who asked me to be able to honor her memory.
And just now, when we came home, just as Ezi was going to the hematologist, we got the news that his sister has just passed away, and since her husband has covid the funeral will be delayed. There’s more but we’re going back to the demonstrations…