Cila's Story, in her own words

In September of 1914 my parents took my two brothers, my sister and myself to a town very close to the Russian border to visit our grandparents during the Jewish high holy days; Sukus, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. We went to the temple and prayed for our sins for ten days. We fasted and we celebrated the Jewish New Year or Yom Kippur, the highest holy day. While we were visiting our relatives, my mother became very sick and she died. She was about thirty-eight years old. As a seven year old girl, I heard her loud crying and I saw my mother dying. My brother cried very loudly. Later we went back to Grandpa’s house and I saw them open the casket. According to the Jewish religion she had to be buried before sundown. I did not understand it all but I cried and cried. MORE.