My Hero Mordechai

By Dr Elior Kinarthy
 

My Saba (grandfather in Hebrew) became my 'hero' when I was ten in 1946. That is when he first took me for a ride on his Arabian horse and Roman-style carriage, to visit the trading post of Rosh Ha’ayin.(Head of the Eye). That year he showed me how to shoot a coyote that had eaten one of his hens, and how to catch a poisonous King Snake using a hand carved stick with a fork at the end. He was a police sergeant in charge of the self-appointed militia of brave men and women that were responsible for the security of the fledgeling farm community. In 1947 he took me to a 'fantasia'  which was a horse race held by the local Arabs. They offered me a hamburger made from the testicles of a male goat. I wrinkled my nose and was about to refuse this “delicacy” but my Saba reprimanded me and warned me it was considered a great insult to refuse, so I ate it!

I was born in 1936 in Tel Aviv and spent summers on my grandfather’s farm milking goats, picking up freshly laid eggs and eating fresh vegetables for breakfast. My grandfather Mordechai (Motl) Meiri was born at home in Petach Tikvah (Opening of Hope) on March 2, 1893 and died on December 21, 1986. His pioneering parents, Sarah and Pinchas Meiri received a land grant from Baron Rothschild to start the community that came to be known as Petach Tikvah, an area of Palestine about 20 kilometres east of the future Tel Aviv. The Meiri family and many other pioneers drained the malaria infested swamps. My grandfather worked in the swamps as a youngster along with his brother Eliyahu. Unfortunately another brother, Itzhak died at age 21 after falling into a cement pit while building homes for the community. Today, many of the Meiri clan are still living on Meiri Street in Petach-Tikvah that honours this pioneering family. Modechai Meiri was wounded defending the community and lived happily to the ripe old age of 93! My wonderful mother Esther, was his oldest daughter.

There was a Farmer's market on Hofetz Chaim Street, a block away from my grandparent’s home. The market had the nickname, “Cherished Life,” to honour the life of Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan from Poland. It was located in a 200 meter section of the roadside, without permits and spontaneously set up by the local farmers to sell and barter their wares. This was a Farmer’s market with no regulations and no taxes. There were dogs and cats everywhere, especially near the Fish mongers stand that was called “Hagadim Shel D’vorah”. (D’vorah’s Fish). Prices were in British pounds and accepted money could be the British pound,Turkish lira, or the Jordanian dinar. The barter system was also used so that families could exchange labour or items for the products they needed.

I attended this market until 1948, eating all the heavenly tasting middle eastern dairy products that Israel is known for. My mouth waters remembering the Leben, Lebenia, Shamenet, Kefir, and fresh whole milk that came from the healthiest cows that my grandfather owned. He also sold eggs, live chickens and the occasional turkey for Pesach. I remember having a lot of fun socializing with other Jewish and Arab kids, all barriers disappeared for us as children, until 1948.

Those memories have come alive with the Saanich Green Market coming this Sunday. It has that Jewish “hamishe” atmosphere with music, bingo games, kosher BBQ and all of the great local produce at wholesale prices; credit, debit and cash accepted. Modern times!