"While the children were thus busy with their grandfather, the elder sons and sons-in-law and their wives sat around, discussing quietly various topics of interest, till the time for Mincha came round.
"Then the great grandfather went to Shule, followed by all his children.
"Visiting other neighbours during the Succah weeks, we found that they preserved this beautiful and ancient way of keeping the Festival.
"I never realized till then what a great influence for good the surroundings and teaching in childhood can be, and how a father and mother can leave the impress of their teaching in early life upon both sons and daughters. It is the mother specially who forms the child's soul, quite as clearly on the boys as on the girls from their cradle-days, and the father and the teacher only builds on the foundation laid by the mother: this is seen here more than elsewhere."
"Very true," exclaimed the others; "a great deal is done by the mother; but the environment has a great influence on the character."
This caused a good deal of discussion and the meeting did not close till one o'clock in the morning.
HOW CHARITY IS GIVEN
On the following Friday evening, the next letter that Mr Jacob chose for reading to his family and friends was on the way alms-giving, or charity, was managed in Palestine. Before starting to read, he advised his hearers not to forget that the Jewish community in Palestine was very small when this letter was written, and the majority of the people were very poor. Many had spent most of their money and worldly goods in the expenses of travelling there, with the object of ending their days in their beloved land, and being buried with their forefathers.
Mr Jacob then began the letter.