by Marilyn Land
When he walked her out to meet her father who was waiting to pick her up, she stopped shy of the door, turned to him and kissed him full on the lips. “Great day; wonderful party; but best of all, I got to share it with you. Goodnight Jake.”
“Goodnight Lexi; thank you. You made this day extra special for me.”
He dreamt about Lexi that night and their first kiss—hoping fervently that she felt the same way about him as he felt about her.
CHAPTER FIVE
With his Bar Mitzvah behind him, Jacob abandoned his Hebrew lessons with Rabbi Levin as many others had before him. The Lyons family was not Orthodox, and felt it was more important for him to concentrate on his scholastic studies going forward, so they did not try to convince him otherwise. As always, his grades were exemplary, although he continued to spend a good deal of his time playing sports, socializing with friends, and working with Max.
And then there was Lexi. Although they lived a distance apart, they saw one another as frequently as possible. Jacob was unrelenting in urging Ivan to invite his cousin to the various activities sponsored by the Great Central Synagogue that took place each weekend following the Sabbath, as well as various holiday Festivals.
On certain occasions when there was a special celebration or festival held at their synagogue, Lexi stayed over with her cousin Ivan’s family, and attended the parties all weekend. Jacob was delighted; Harry and Ada observed with interest.
On 9 November 1938, in an incident known as Kristallnacht, Nazi Germany torched synagogues, vandalized Jewish homes, schools, and businesses and killed almost 100 Jews. In the aftermath of what became known as the Night of Broken Glass, some 35,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to Nazi concentration camps. No longer was it whispered and debated what the Nazis were up to—it was fact. After Kristallnacht conditions for German Jews continued to grow worse by the day, as the world stood by and watched.
Life was good for the Lyons family. Harry’s position with De Beers became all that he hoped it would, and they began looking toward making some of their goals for the future a reality. Harry purchased a secondhand Ford V-8 from a De Beers employee who was relocating abroad, and most Sundays found them driving to nearby towns outside of London looking for a house. They always made it a family excursion, and the children were as excited as Harry and Ada at the prospect.
The years since Harry had gone to work at De Beers had proven lucrative. They were able to breathe a little easier financially and even managed to save towards buying a place of their own.
During the 1930s, there was a boom in homebuilding on the outskirts of towns and cities all over England, all of which were fairly uniform in style and all of which were considered the most modern for that time. This boom created what became known as the suburbs or suburban housing.
On one particular outing in the spring of 1939, Harry and Ada came upon Orpington Gardens located in Edgware, Middlesex, a new suburban housing development in the London suburbs. Orpington Gardens featured rows of semi-detached houses in blocks of two, which were mirror images of each other, with a side entrance in between, and both front and back gardens.
The homes were moderate in size and space. The front door opened into a hall from which there were stairs to the upper floors, two doors to the living area, and at the end of the hall, a door to the kitchen.
On the upper floor was a landing, two bedrooms above the sitting room, another bedroom above the front part of the hall, and a bathroom above the kitchen. On the third level, there was a sizeable loft with floor space equal to that of the upper floor.
Some houses had chalet-style roofs that translated to smaller loft areas and in some cases, one less bedroom. Windows varied with rounded bays, square bays, and some had no bay, but all were single glazed in wooden frames and consisted of several door windows with smaller fanlight windows above.
To Harry and Ada, it was nothing short of a palace. Everything was so new and shiny and absolutely beyond their wildest imagination. To even think that this could be their home was almost beyond belief. The children were also in awe. There were so many rooms—Jacob could have his own room, the twins could have their own room, and the sitting room and big dining room were large enough to create an open feeling—and three floors.
The cost of the home they all fell in love with was 835 pounds. Abbey Road Building Society offered a twenty-year mortgage, with a down payment of 200 pounds, and a monthly payment of 4 pounds.
Weeks turned into months as Harry and Ada agonized over taking on too much by going for home ownership. Tying themselves to some 20 years of mortgage payments weighed heavily on their minds along with the fact that if anything went wrong and needed repair, it would have to be paid for out of their own pocket. In addition, they didn’t want to become house poor where most of their income went into the house.
The world was in disarray. Horrific stories out of Germany continued and increased, and many lost contact with relatives who seemed to have disappeared into thin air.
All through the summer of 1939, they went back and forth trying to justify becoming homeowners and what they would have to give up in the process. They looked at other new housing communities, but they kept returning to their original choice—Orpington Gardens. Some of the other developments were less costly, but they didn’t feel they were getting as much for their money. In the end, they chose to wait a while longer.
Only days later, their decision would take on new meaning.
On 1 September 1939, the Nazis invaded Poland. Under a Mutual Assistance Treaty Great Britain signed in August 1939, they were committed to defend the Poles.
On Sunday, 3 September 1939, Neville Chamberlain issued an ultimatum to Germany demanding the immediate withdrawal of German Troops from Poland.
The ultimatum, issued at 9:00 a.m. was due to expire just two hours later at 11:00 a.m. Expire it did. Mr. Chamberlain took to the airwaves broadcasting to the nation via the radio that Britain had declared war on Germany.
Before the year would end, France, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada would also declare war on Germany, with the United States declaring neutrality. The Soviets invaded Poland and attacked Finland. The Soviet invasion of Poland resulted in Germany and Russia dividing up the country.
What had been whispered, discussed, and even refuted had come to pass.
As 1940 dawned, rationing began in Britain. An air of apprehension was everywhere. Most Londoners tried to remain in normal mode, but it was not always an easy thing to do.
The Lyons family held a subdued birthday celebration for Jacob’s 16th Birthday, which included Max and Reba Lerner. For the most part, everyone seemed unusually quiet during dinner. Max asked Harry what the talk was at De Beers.
“For the most part, it’s business as usual. They keep me pretty busy so I probably don’t hear a lot of what is said.”
When everyone finished eating, Harry stood and raised his water glass. “Here, here, this is a celebration of Jacob’s 16th Birthday. So let us dispense with the worries of the world for tonight and wish our Jacob a very Happy Birthday!
“As you know, we didn’t ask what you wanted for a gift this year, because your mother and I had something in mind. I hope that didn’t make you think that we had forgotten and weren’t getting you anything.”
Seeing everyone amused as his expense, he replied, “I did notice that, but I knew you would come up with something.”
“Indeed we have. We have decided that it’s time for you to learn to drive the car, so we are giving you driving lessons”
“Wow” was all Jacob could say, and he repeated it, “Wow! I have the best family in the world. When do I start?”
Again, everyone laughed, and Harry said, “I’ve arranged with a driver for De Beers to teach you, and you can work it out between the two of you taking both of your schedules into account. I have no doubt that it won’t take you long to get the han
g of it, and you can apply for your driving license as soon as you are confident that you can pass the test.”
Jacob hugged and kissed his parents and thanked them profusely asking to be excused so he could tell his friends.
For the time being, although the Country was at war, life went on as usual. Harry continued working at De Beers, Jacob and the girls continued to do well in school; and an apprehensive atmosphere continued to consume the Nation. Spring arrived without fanfare and eased into summer.
CHAPTER SIX
The War brought many changes and hardships, and no city was more susceptible to its effects than London.
After the fall of France in June 1940, Nazi Germany had one major enemy left in Western Europe—Great Britain. Hitler’s strategy expected Germany to quickly conquer their enemy by first gaining dominance over airspace and then by sending in ground troops across the English Channel.
The Germans began their attack on Great Britain in July 1940. At first they targeted airfields, but soon switched to bombing general strategic targets, hoping to crush British morale. Unfortunately for the Nazis, Britain’s morale was steadfast, and the reprieve given to British airfields gave the Royal Air Force the break it so desperately needed.
The Germans continued to bomb London for months, but as the fall of 1940 approached, it was clear that the British had won, and that the Germans were forced to indefinitely postpone their sea invasion across the English Channel. With overconfidence and meager planning on Hitler’s part, the Battle of Britain was a decisive victory for the British and was the first time the Germans faced defeat since the War began.
However, Britain’s troubles were just beginning.
Their setback in the Battle of Britain did not contain the Germans; and the appearance of German bombers in the skies over London during the afternoon of 7 September 1940, heralded a shift in Hitler’s attempt to overtake Great Britain.
By abandoning his airstrikes on British airfields, Hitler’s new targets became manufacturing facilities and the harbor. As the Battle of Britain was being put to rest, Germany embarked on a new assault on England—The Blitz. For the next 57 consecutive days, London sustained intense bombing both day and night—ending in May 1941, when Hitler called off the raids to move his bombers in preparation for Germany’s invasion of Russia.
Ada was beside herself. Each time the sirens started to wail, she became frantic. If the raids occurred during the day while Harry was at work and the children were in school, she feared she would never see them again. When the raids were at night, even though Harry was home, and they fled their flat together to seek shelter, her nerves were so on edge, she acted like a person gone mad until they were all secure in one of the designated underground shelters. The girls were scared, but Jacob was strong and helped his father calm his mother and sisters time and again.
Harry and Ada tried their best to allow the children freedom to continue with sports and social activities. Of course, the children attended school; Harry went to work; they attended services at their synagogue as a family; but that didn’t deter from the fact that each time Ada left the flat alone to buy food and supplies, she didn’t totally relax until she was once again home. Home had become her sanctuary; the only place she felt truly safe.
By the end of October, although the raids had not stopped, they abated somewhat and were not a day after day occurrence. De Beers suspended their auctions, but Marcus assured Harry that it was temporary, and that his expertise would be used in other ways. Harry was greatly relieved, as was Ada when he conveyed the news to her. She viewed it as one less thing to worry about.
In early November, Jacob approached his parents with a request. “I’d like to invite Lexi to the Cinema in London to see the new American film Strike Up the Band. It opens this coming weekend, and it really looks good. I’ll need the car to pick her up.”
Harry and Ada were aware that she lived near Middlesex, just a couple of miles from Orpington Gardens. The first thing that came to Ada’s mind was the air raids. Though they had abated, they were definitely not over. Harry on the other hand quickly replied, “Of course, you may have the car. As you know, we don’t use it much since petrol rationing, but I always keep enough on hand for special occasions.”
“Thank you, thank you. Now I can make my plans. There’s a matinee Sunday afternoon.”
Harry and Ada not wanting to upset Jacob by reminding him to be alert and extra vigilant for their safety, simply told him, “Have a good time and enjoy the show.”
What a wonderful afternoon they had—just the two of them. The film starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland was a great diversion. Sitting inside the theatre, they were propelled into a different world, a world far away from the bombed out buildings and destruction one saw all around London.
Jake put his arm around Lexi and pulled her close. The music and the love story portrayed on the screen were wonderful. The stars, Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, were students in high school about their same ages, and it was easy for them to equate with the story.
When the show ended, they stopped at a nearby teashop for sandwiches and tea. Not wanting their afternoon to end, they opted to walk around London in the immediate area of the theatre before heading home. Even though they were talking about the film and the actors as they walked, the destruction all around them left by the bombings continued to distract them. They decided to head home after all.
When they arrived at Lexi’s house, he insisted on seeing her safely inside, but not before pulling her close and kissing her goodnight just as Dr. Portman opened the door.
Harry and Ada felt remorse that they had not moved out of London to the suburbs. Although seeing the destruction grow so widespread was unnerving, the worst was knowing that shortly after hearing the sirens wail, you would hear the German planes grinding in the distance as you waited to hear the boom, boom, boom of the bombs tearing buildings apart while knowing they were not too far away from where you were, praying that they would turn back before reaching you.
In mid-December, the agent that had shown them the houses in Orpington Gardens contacted Harry to see if they were still interested in the house they previously wanted. A young couple had purchased the home but had never moved in. Unfortunately, the husband was killed in the Battle of Britain, and his widow was anxious to sell before returning to America. The house was partially furnished; and her asking price including the furniture was the outstanding mortgage—a sum of 500 pounds, almost half of the original asking price. Since the transaction would be a transfer of the existing mortgage, no down payment was required.
When Harry told Ada, it was the first time he had seen her smile in months. She put her arms around him and kissed him.
“Oh yes, Harry, let’s buy the house. It will be safer for all of us, and possibly far enough away that the air raids won’t impact us as much, if at all; it will be good news for the children too. We can still come to our synagogue for services, and Jake can continue his sports at the Brady Club. With graduation only months away, I am certain Jake will opt to stay in school here; you can drop him off on your way to work. I will certainly feel better knowing the girls are in primary school outside the city limits.”
Harry pondered his thoughts not knowing whether to consider their good fortune a blessing or an omen of bad things to come. When he thought about the young couple who had purchased the house, but never lived in it, he couldn’t shake the bad feeling that came over him. The young man had been killed, and his widow was returning to her family in America. He could only imagine what their hopes and dreams had been when they purchased the house. Had they been as excited and loved it as much as he and Ada had? Or more?
In the end, he put his thoughts aside and said, “Then it’s settled. I will contact the agent tomorrow and make arrangements for us to see the house as soon as possible. If all goes well, we can move forward with the paperwork to transfer the mortgage to us, a
nd our new address will be 11 Brook Avenue, Edgware, Middlesex.”
Because of the holiday season, the appointment to meet with the agent to walk through the house was set for early January 1941. It was a cold winter day when Harry and Ada met him at the property. It was even more beautiful than she remembered. All the old feelings of how much she loved the house came flooding back to her. Ada hadn’t realized until now how disappointed she had actually been when they decided to postpone their plans to become homeowners.
The furniture, all new and purchased before the War, was a real bonus. With rationing and all manufacturing geared toward the war effort, it was certain that very little if any furnishings were currently available and probably wouldn’t be until the War was over. The only furniture the house lacked was bedroom furniture for the children; and they could bring what they had for the time being, or perhaps try to purchase a few pieces secondhand.
Ada was happier than she had been in months. After telling the agent they would take the house, they went home to tell the children. Now it was just a matter of time for the paperwork to be processed, and they could move into their new home.
With Jacob’s Birthday just days away, they decided to wait until then to tell the children, Max, and Reba. However, this was not an easy thing for Ada to do. Her upbeat mood did not go unnoticed. The children had not witnessed her cheerful demeanor in a long time. Although there were no air raids leading up to his birthday, Ada showed no signs whatsoever of fearful anticipation as she had in the past.
Jacob’s 17th Birthday finally came. Ada busied herself all day preparing dinner, baking a cake, and setting the table complete with glasses for wine. When the girls came home from school, she shooed them out of the way, and told them to keep busy until they were told to wash up for dinner.