mon peel, you can see your face clearly
reflected in the trays. Some who had no mirror used the trays for
looking-glasses.

"Mother prepares our Sabbath meals, whilst we girls are doing the hard
work--hanging up our best curtains or putting our best covers on the
beds and cushions, and spreading the Sabbath table-cloth. These are put
away again on Saturday evenings. Those who have them also use special
Sabbath china, glass, and silver for their meals.

"This work keeps us busy nearly all day. About three hours before sunset
Father and the boys go to the public baths, and by the time they return
we are all dressed in our best clothes, the samovar (the urn) is placed
on a table in the porch, and we all sit there to rest and drink tea,
awaiting the coming in of 'Princess Sabbath.' A matter of an hour before
Sabbath a voice is heard calling out:

'Sabbath is in, friends! Sabbath is in!'

"The first time I heard the call I could not understand the reason until
Father told me that, as there are no bells in the suburb and very few
people have clocks, one of the highly-respected members of the
community undertakes the job of going right round Meah Sheorim every
Friday, so that the women may know when to light their Sabbath
lamps--for directly the Sabbath call is heard all the women stop
whatever work they are at and go to light the Sabbath lamp, which has
seven wicks, in a basin of oil hanging from the ceiling, for there are
no candles here. When this is done the men and children go to synagogue,
and some of the women too. As they all love bright colours, when you see
them from a distance walking to synagogue, the suburb looks like a
flower-garden.

"After Sabbath dinner, which consists of the _cholent_ baked on the
previous day, Father gathers the boys round the table to hear what
lessons they have learnt during the week. He discusses and explains part
of the Torah to them, while mother and we girls read the Zeene ureene (a
commentary on the Bible for women), the Ethics of the Fathers, and the
like. This goes on for some time, and then we are free to go and visit
our friends. We and several of our friends often go to an old lady's
house, where we spend pleasant Sabbath afternoons.

"Years ago this dear old lady came from Russia to end her days in the
Holy Land. She is well provided for by her children, so she has the
time and means to lead a happy and useful life here, and does a lot of
good quietly, by the cheery, sens