Shabbat Shalom

When they met, Tzipora told Baron she was Catholic. He thought that was hilarious — it was one of the few times she saw him laugh. Her name was “Tzipora”, and she gave herself the name “Zelda” — who did she think she was kidding? But that’s just how she was; Tzipora was an intricate person of many backgrounds and instincts.

Baron was Jewish, but he didn’t practice much. He did, however, observe shabbas as a cultural legacy of his childhood. He worked six days a week, and rested Saturdays. Sometimes, he’d put on a roast in the tradition of his late father’s recipe. Other times, Tzipora would cook some of their favourite foods. Tzipora, the insistent catholic, would respect the melakhot because she liked the idea of it. Even more unusually, she welcomed the shabbas with a prayer, even though her sabbath was Sunday. That’s just how she was; you get the idea. She was a curious and deeply spiritual person, and became more fascinated with her Jewish heritage after living with Baron.

Cobian didn’t know what a Jew was; she barely understood the concept of any god. Cobian’s family were indigenous Vekllei, descended from generations of animistic Upen observers. She was, however, more than willing to break bread with the girl she loved, and they enjoyed many meals together over the years in that picturesque, naive multiculturalism common to Vekllei.