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“This is the story of my mother and grandmother and aunts. I love that I can open the book and see my mother as a baby.She’s still the same chocolate thief....”- Alexandra Sophia Katechis

OF

THE

VALENTINEAVENUE

THREE GIRLS

By Rebecca Dobkin KatechisIllustrations by Carolyn Dobkin Schlam

$16.95ISBN 978 - 0 - 615 - 29828 - 3 51695>

9 780615 298283

- Cantor Bob Zalkin

OF

THE

VALENTINEAVENUE

THREE GIRLS

By Rebecca Dobkin KatechisIllustrations by Carolyn Dobkin Schlam

To our Toby, you are forever one of the three girls. And to all the family, the aunts and uncles who brought our house alive with language and laughter and made a rich world out of our small apartment. To our parents, Anne and Sam

Dobkin, who worked tirelessly to give us all we needed to go out into the wider world. We hope we have honored your goodness here, as we honor you in our hearts and lives.

To Ari and Alexandra, who will carry it on in their memories, and tell their own children about a loving world of the past.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,

without written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, contact Valentine Avenue Press at info@valentineavenuepress.com

ISBN-13: 978-0-615-29828-3ISBN-10: 0-6152-9828-1

Text copyright © 2009 by Rebecca KatechisIllustrations copyright © 2009 by Carolyn Schlam

All rights reserved.

THE THREE GIRLS OF VALENTINE AVENUE is a Memoryquilt © Book

Published by Valentine Avenue PressFirst printing September 2009

Printed in the U.S.A.

Permission to quote lyrics from “Sixteen Candles” granted by Hal Leonard Corp.Sixteen Candles

Words and Music by Luther Dixon and Allyson R. KhentCopyright © 1958 by Six Continents Music Publishing, Inc.

Copyright RenewedAll Rights for the World excluding Australia and New Zealand Administered by Unichappell Music Inc.

International Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved.

The illustrations in this book were drawn with pencil and ink. The drawings were scanned and digitally colored.

The book was designed using Franklin Gothic Book, Kokekoko Light, Patient Page, and Mechanical Pencil.

The author and illustrator wish to extend their thanks to the text editor, William Dorgan and the book designer, Daniel Dougherty.

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Bags and bags and bags of groceries are at Mommy’s feet as she walks through the door. It is Sunday, and Sunday is time for family dinner with all our aunts and uncles. She calls out, “Carolyn, Toby, Rebecca, come and help me get these into the kitchen...” and we three girlscome running, skidding on the checkerboard floor as we hurry. What surprises are in those bags for us? (It is Chanukah, after all, and there have to be a few special things.)

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1

Chanukah: a Jewish holiday in December when children receive gifts.

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Rebecca gets to Mommy first, but she only comes to see what Mommy has bought her. As usual, Carolyn, who is twelve, and me, Toby (I’m 10 but I am almost the tallest), will have to do all the work, and keep our baby sister’s hands out of the way, too. She’s five, she should learn already, if you ask me.

One by one, the bag’s contents spill on to the kitchen table. Soon, there are small mountains of food everywhere – on the counters, in the cabinets, and even in the sink. Mommy and Aunt Lee and even Grandma are going to spend all day making our yummy Sunday dinner. There are chickens for soup, and brisket for eating, and potatoes and eggplants and carrots, and grapefruits, of course. There are pickles and olives and challah breads, and that stuff for chopped liver I don’t like to think about, and a big box from the bakery that Mommy won’t ever let us open. But nothing for us now, we realize as we fold the last bag. 1

challah - braided egg bread6

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The doorbell rings, and we know it’s the seltzer man, coming to bring a new case of bottles and take away the empties. I go to answer the door, and there he stands in his very dirty pants, a case of fat bottles on his shoulder. “Little lady,” Louie says “make room for your next case,” and I jump out of the way. “Put some fizz in your day!” says Louie as he places the bottles on the floor. I smile at him, even though he always says that, and go back into the kitchen.

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There everybody sits, even Daddy, who is working at home because it’s Chanukah. We crowd round the table, a bag of Chanukah gelt right in the middle. “Come get rich, Tobala, it’s Sunday, it’s Chanukah, and nothing will taste better than a chocolate coin right about now.” That’s where we are when, just like that, Aunt Lee arrives with kisses and hugs and even more bags. “Out, sheine maideles” she says, “time to prepare…” and we don’t mind going, hands full of the day’s surprises.

Carolyn goes to our room to draw and I go to the piano, only I have to take Rebecca with me as part of the deal. As my Aunt Lee would say, “Natch,” which means “naturally,” which means you’re the one in the middle, and you have to be good, at least if you ask me.

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Chanukah gelt – chocolate coins for the holidayTobala – a loving nickname for Tobysheine maideles - beautiful girls

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I’m practicing my Chopin etude when Mom calls from the kitchen, “Tobala, you’re watching Rebecca, right? That’s your job until we set the table, you remember.” I remember. But I just have to learn the piece. When Mrs. Colonelli comes for our lesson, I plan to get more stars than Caro. She hardly ever practices anymore. I want a gold foil star, maybe even two.

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“Mommy,” I say, without looking up from the keys. “She’s right under the piano, keeping Bixby away from the presents.” We are Jewish and have no Christmas tree, so every year our Chanukah presents (8 each!!!) sit in a pile under the piano, and each night we get to choose the one we want. The pile gets smaller and smaller, until it is gone for another year.

Uh-oh, I think, It’s a little quiet here. When I finally look, Rebecca is gone. In a flash, I know where to find my pesky baby sister.And sure enough, there she is, giggling by the candy cabinet, chocolate on her hands and face. Bixby is waiting, tail wagging, and I have to act fast or he’ll be licking her silly face, sharing in the goodies.

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“Hey, wasn’t that chocolate gelt enough for you? You’re impossible!” I have to scoop her up and get her into our bedroom quick, before Mommy sees us and gets mad at me for not watching her. Caro, as usual, is lying on her bed with paper and colored pencils all over the place, just dreaming and drawing as if it weren’t the busiest Sunday of the year.

“Here,” I say, “Take Rebecca and clean her up. Mommy will plotz if she knew what she’s doing.” I have to practice, so…do something.” And before she can answer, I plop Rebecca on Caro’s bed, and I’m out the door.

Saved...let Carolyn do it.

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gelt - money plotz - fall down; get annoyed

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Uncle Mac and Aunt Mildred, Uncle Henry… is Uncle Sol coming? Aunt Lee and Grandma, Mommy, Daddy, and we three girls - eleven places, and who gets the best silverware, the newest glass?

I don’t have to tell you that all this time Rebecca just gets to watch everything. I hope she gets older fast.

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mensch - sensible or good personnatch - naturally

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I try to hurry back to the living room, but wouldn’t you know it? Mommy and Aunt Lee are already in the hallway, opening up the table for dinner that night. “Oh, there you are, Toby, call your sisters now, and be a mensch and help us with the table leaves.” Our small hall table would soon be long enough for all the family.

So much for practicing the piano. The big blue tablecloth comes out of the drawer and for a minute, Mommy and Aunt Lee seem to play with it, swinging it like a jump rope and then letting it sail down over the table. “Time to set the table, girls.” And soon enough we are running in and out of the kitchen with plates and glasses and napkins and forks and knives and spoons and soup spoons. Carolyn takes her time with the napkins (natch) making each one a perfect triangle - and so I have to go round and round, making room for everyone’s plates.

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The TV clicks off in Grandma’s room, and Caro knows that it is time to help her into the kitchen to make the noodles for the soup. Grandma doesn’t see very well anymore, but in baseball season when her beloved Yankees are playing, Grandma can suddenly see better than the umpires. It is winter now, and she is bored, and that means we’re in for it if we don’t do what she wants.

Grandma isn’t even out the door of her room when she starts telling Mommy and Aunt Lee that the soup smells “too chicken-y.” Rebecca has taken her socks off, of course, and Grandma passes her and just knows that she is barefoot. “Borvesa fis,” – she yells out to mom. “Don’t you buy your girls any shoes, Annele? Maideles, it’s wintertime, wear shoes!”

It doesn’t matter to Grandma that the radiators in our apartment keep us warm all winter, or that the kitchen windows are both wide open because the oven makes everyone hot. It is winter, and to Grandma, “If you were in Russia, girls, in my little shtetl, you’d be lucky to have shoes.” _________borvesa fis,” - barefootAnnele - loving name for Annemaideles – girlsshtetl - a village

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The doorbell rings again, just in time. It’s Uncle Henry, come early to talk and bother his sisters while they cook. He takes off his coat and heads straight to the kitchen table to watch the preparations and tell jokes. “Come here, girls, let’s see you” and then, out of his pocket, like magic, come three shiny dollar coins. “This will buy some new pencils, Caro!” Then, to me, “I suppose you are saving for a new Strawberry James book, Toby” and he hands me the coin. When Rebecca comes last, he just laughs and puts a gumball in the other hand. “And you, curly, which one is better for you?” And of course, silly Rebecca takes the gumball, which anyone knows you can buy at the candy store round the corner for a penny, instead of the whole dollar.

“Can we have her dollar, Uncle Henry?” I ask “Caro and I can split it.” But Uncle Henry just says, “Your mom will hold on to it for her, smarties. Now, who knows the words to Sixteen Candles?…it’s climbing the pop chart, you know. “Caro and I giggle. Of course we knew the words of the best new song on the radio. Soon, everyone in the kitchen is singing, and Grandma takes up the tune in Yiddish, and we all laugh, because who sings apop song in Yiddish? 20

“Oh, Uncle Mac, do we have to kiss you hello? Your moustache tickles.” Up in the air he lifts Caro, twirling. As I wait my turn, I see that I am almost as tall as Aunt Mildred now. How silly they are together – tall and short. Rebecca wants to know what they brought us, and so do we. Uncle Sol has his arms full of records because he works for a music company. Aunt Mildred baked something, but she says it is a surprise. Mommy shoos us away to get ready for dinner.

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It is getting late. Grandma’s noodles are all cut up in neat squiggles. The soup is all done. The grapefruits are ready. We put them on the table, one on each plate, and I take the one with two cherries on top. Mommy makes that one just for me. Caro runs to the door to find huge Uncle Mac and little Aunt Mildred, with Uncle Sol running up behind.

Finally, it’s time to eat. The uncles sit inside. Big Mac, Henry, Sol, and then tiny Mildred. Daddy and Grandma have the places of honor at the ends of the table.

We sit on the kitchen side so we can help carry. The little foyer is filled with loud voices and laughing. We are all hungry, but there is a lot to talk about.

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“Happy Chanukah, family. Let’s eat!” Daddy says as he moves the menorah off the table. We all start our grapefruits. It’s time for me to go round and ask if everyone wants their cherry. I love cherries the most and can eat loads.

Everyone is talking at once. The adults are happy about the new President because he is young and smart and will bring children to the White House. Aunt Lee brags to Grandma about Cousin Mike, who is at college learning Chinese. Aunt Mildred thinks Chinese is a funny language to learn, but Grandma is proud. “Studying is good,” she says in Yiddish. Uncle Mac says the uncles all went to the “school of hard knocks” and Caro and I groan. But it is true. We are doing things that the uncles never dreamed of. We are all going to college, that’s for certain. But first, we’ll eat soup, and brisket, and the yummy cake Aunt Mildred made for us.

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Grandma lights the Chanukah candles, and Caro gets to help her. They look so silly with dishtowels on their heads. You are supposed to cover your head when you light the candles, and Grandma Sarah thinks a dishtowel is as good as any fancy scarf. I know we look silly, but that is us, not fancy, just funny, just us.

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menorah - candle holder

While we eat, Mommy is so busy. But she keeps up. As usual, she brags about us. Caro won an art contest at school. Rebecca is the best reader in Mrs. Warner’s kindergarten. I won the school prize for most books read in November. That gets the uncles going. Let’s hear all about it, kindele.

I don’t really know how it happens, but somehow, we three girls are in a little contest. Over chopped liver and salad and brisket, a talent show is planned. Rebecca will read her alphabet book. Caro will show off her latest drawings. But what will I do?

I think about it all through dinner. I’m sure that Caro will win, because she is such a good artist. Or, maybe Rebecca, just because everyone falls for her dimples. I’m just the one in the middle, the one who can be counted on. I decide to play the piano, and mom says I can play my Chopin between dinner and dessert.

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Kindele - children

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When it is time to play, Bixby comes and sits next to me. I have to shoo him off to take the sheet music out of the little secret drawer in the piano bench. Aunt Lee shushes everyone.

I start to play just as Aunt Mildred says, proudly, “Chopin, from such a young girl!” But I am not playing my Chopin. Everyone laughs as they realize I am playing Sixteen Candles. By the last lines of the song, the whole family is singing

Sixteen Candles make a lovely light But not as bright as your eyes tonight Blow out the candles, make your wish come true For I’ll be wishing that you love me too….”

“Sixteen…not so fast! “ Mommy says, laughing. “Please be wonderful young girls just a little while longer. “

3130

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“I won!!! “ Everyone is still singing as we head for dessert. Mommy gives Caro and Rebecca extra pieces of cake for their talents. Then it is time for my present.

Uncle Mac has to go into the kitchen to get it. When he comes out, he is holding the biggest jar of cherries I haveever seen. “But Mommy, how did you know who would win? Caro and Rebecca don’t like cherries!”

“I didn’t. But I was ready.” Mommy comes out with a jar of colored pencils in one hand and a jar of candy in the other. “These can wait for the next time, girls. You three girls are all winners, but Toby is tonight’s star!”

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We all help clean up. The adults stay and talk, and we put music on the record player and dance. Our apartment is not a quiet place, but it is a happy place, full of people talking all at once.

We three girls live on Valentine Avenue, in an apartment full of love.

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Discussion Questions for “The Three Girls of Valentine Avenue”

1. Where does the story take place?2. Is the story happening in the present or the past? How do you know? What clues are there that the story is happening now or in the past?3. Who is your favorite character in the story? Why?4. Are the three girls very alike or are they different? How? If you had to use only one word to describe each girl, what would that word be:

Carolyn is ______________

Toby is ______________

Rebecca is ______________

5. What words would you use to describe the girls’ family?6. Do the girls all get what they want in the story?7. What is the most important part of the dinner?8. Do the members of the family at the dinner like each other? How do you know?9. Which foods served at the dinner are familiar to you? Which are strange? What dish would you most like to try? What dish would you not like to eat?10. What do you think the girls became when they grew up? (Check and see if you are right on the next page.)

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More about the author and illustrator

Rebecca Dobkin Katechis is a poet, teacher and writer. She has taught writing to children of all ages. Rebecca has been a teacher at the Center for Talented Youth at John Hopkins University for many years, where her writers continue to surprise and inspire her. She loves being the youngest of the three Dobkin girls of Valentine Avenue. Carolyn Dobkin Schlam is a painter, mixed-media and glass artist. Her oils, drawings and sculptures in glass and ceramic can be seen at many fine galleries and at her website at www.carolynschlam.com. Recreating Valentine Avenue and portraits of her family in this book from memory was an incredible challenge. She found it deeply rewarding.

Did you guess right?

Carolyn Dobkin Schlam became an artist. Toby Dobkin Bernthal became a psychologist.

Rebecca Dobkin Katechis became a writer and teacher of writing.

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About Memoryquilt Books

Memoryquilt: Voices of a Diverse America, is a series of books for children which tell the stories of people of different backgrounds and cultures. The Three Girls of Valentine Avenue is the first book in the series and will be followed by memoirs from other times and places. It is our hope that Memoryquilt Books will be read in homes and schools as readers explore the power of memory and the value of preserving oral history. Generations to come may learn from and enjoy visiting the lives of everyday people through these illustrated books.