Apple Dipped in Honey: For a Sweet New Year! - Jews in Green

Cocktails With MolotovNATIONALLiberator.Icontact your family and give themyour regards?”“We have no family in Cincinnati,”Boris said flatly. “Our son did not marrya Jewish girl. And maybe that's why,when we called Ivan to ask him tosponsor us, he said … he'd have to'think about it.'“You must try to imagine theconditions. Anti-Semitism in theSoviet Union was on the rise. EveryJew was afraid for his life. Thegovernment looked as if it wouldtopple any day. And Ivan could onlysay he'd 'think about it.'“Finally, we could wait no longer.So we called Ivan and asked him again.He told me he could not sponsor us. Ishouted into the phone, 'Ivan, do yourealize that we have starved for fifteenyears so that you could go toAmerica?!”“Ivan simply repeated his refusal.So Helena and her children leftwithout us. Once she had been inAmerica for four months, she was ableto officially sponsor us. Then we werefinally able to receive our exit visasfrom the Soviet Union and come to theUnited States. And here we are.”Shmuel and Sarah werespeechless. They both stared in deeprespect at the Boris and Natasha asthey gently shook their heads inwonder.After a brief pause, Boris reachedfor the water pitcher. He took a sip andcontinued. “Your children obviouslydo not understand my Yiddish,” heacknowledged as he gestured towardthe inattentive children.”“They don't understand mine,either,” Shmuel quipped, trying tolighten the mood.“I would greatly appreciate it ifyou would translate what I am aboutto say in English, Shmuel. I want yourchildren to understand this.”Shmuel called over to Pnina,Dovid and Mendel (the others wereasleep by this time), and told them topay attention to their Shabbos guestwho had something to say toeveryone.Boris took a deep breath, as hiseyes began to well up with tears. “Youmust thank Hashem each and everyday because you can see His Hand ineverything that happens! Hashemgives you everything. I have come tothis country, and I see peaches here.Peaches in the fruit stores! Do youknow why there are peaches here?”The Fulton children shook theirheads slowly, not really knowingwhether or not the question wasrhetorical.“Sarah thought back toher first meeting withBoris and Natashaearlier in the week. Shehad sensed there wassomething special aboutthis couple. Now sherealized that theStrogoff’s gratitude andcloseness to Hashemhad impressed her fromthe start.”“Well, I will tell you. You havepeaches here because in this countrypeople open up their homes tostrangers like Natasha and myself. Butlet me tell you,there are no peaches inthe stores in Russia. Hashem is kindand generous to you because you arekind and generous to others.”Boris waited for his words to sinkin. “I say 'you have everything.' But Ihave everything, too. Look at me. Ihave a suit. I am here with my wife,mydaughter,my grandchildren. And I caneat peaches here, too! So I thankHashem every day for His greatkindness to me.”The Fulton children seemed tounderstand what Boris was sayingeven before they heard thetranslation. Boris's words were trulyfrom the heart and penetrated deeply.A tear ran down Sarah's cheek, andYerachamiel was choked withemotion.Sarah thought back to her firstmeeting with Boris and Natashaearlier in the week. She had sensedthere was something special aboutthis couple. But at the same time, shecould not quite put her finger on it.Now she realized that the Strogoff'sgratitude and closeness to Hashemhad impressed her from the start. I'mso glad I invited them after all,she saidto herself.Shmuel, too, was overcome withemotion. Here is a man, Shmuelthought to himself, who never evenheard of Mount Sinai, most of theBible, the Mishnah, or the Gemara.Nevertheless, he still managed to findHashem, with no formal training orreligious education. Look at hisappreciation! Look at his gratitude inspite of such unbelievable hardshipsand disappointments! To beabandoned by your only son!Unbelievable! And if he could reachsuch a level of closeness to Hashem,then where should I be? Shmuelasked himself. How much moreshould I be grateful for what I have!When Shabbos was over, Shmuelreflected on the impact their Shabbosguests had on his family. His childrenabsorbed a message he had beenpreaching for years. This time they notonly understood it, but they acceptedit, even though it had been deliveredin a language they did not fullyunderstand. Shmuel and Sarah Fultonrededicated themselves to theircommunal activities on all fronts,especially their “aggressivehospitality.”Overall, the Fulton family receiveda spiritual recharging. The inspirationis still felt today. As Shmuel sums it up,“While I was sitting with the Strogoffs,Ifelt like a prospector who had beenpanning for gold his whole life, andthen finally discovered the motherlode.”24VOL. XII NO. 1ELUL 5767-TISHREI 5768 / FALL 200724