Aci‘ LANO SkiN Riding To Freedom On The Magic Grogger By LEVIN KIPNIS One Purim eve, just before sunset, grandfather was sitting on a stool examining his Megillah. Before the stove stood grandmother, blowing at the fire, raising clouds of smoke and preparing all kinds of cakes and cookies. Suddenly Haggai, their little grandson, came running in. "Grandfather, it's almost time to go to the synagogue to hear the Megillah read. And I haven't a grogger" Grandmother peered out from a cloud of smoke. "Haggai is right," she said. "How will he beat Haman without a grogger?" "It's time to make one, then," said grandfather. So grandfather, who was handy with tools, took his sharp penknife. It was an old penknife, but it shone as though it had just come out of the factory. He picked out a smooth piece of wood from a box and began to work. He cut and hacked away, the splinters flying in all directions. Haggai danced about, trying to catch the splinters. "Stop dancing about," said grandfather. "While I make your grogger, you study your lessons." Haggai took his grandfather's old Bible out of his bag and opened to the book of Joshua. "And it came to pass after the death of Moses ..." Grandmother stood at the stove listening, her eyes filled with tears of joy. Grandfather listened, too, but he did not stop his work for a moment. Haggai read one chapter, two chapters, three, four, five. And grandfather worked away on the grogger. He put together small L 6 - FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1988 pieces of wood, big pieces, narrow, wide thick wheels, sharp rollers, smooth rollers. Haggai reached chapter six and his voice rang out like a golden bell, "Jericho was shut in," just as his grandfather was finishing the grogger. The wheels were put together, a screw here, a nail there, and the grogger was finished! "And the people shouted," read Haggai. At that moment the grogger shouted, too. The voice of the grogger shook the air. For this year grandfather had made the most wonderful grogger of all. On top was a little blue and white flag, and while all groggers have only one wing, this grogger had two wings. Haggai closed the book in the middle of chapter six and even grandmother left her hamantashen. Grandfather rose happily from his work, like a conqueror. He tucked his Megillah under his arm and the three went to the synagogue. There Haggai's grogger became famous.lt made more noise than any other grogger in the city. As its wings turned, the synagogue became a thundering mountain and Haggai might have been a messenger from Joshua sent to throw down the walls of Jericho. When the three returned home again, they happily ate their Purim meal. "Tomorrow," said Haggai, "I'll dress in blue and purple, like Mordechai, because my grogger conquered Haman." Grandfather smiled, then sighed and said, "Yes, Haggai, Haman was killed, but there are other Hamans, many others. In Germany ... Romania, Poland ..." That night Haggai lay in his bed, tossing from side to side. Suddenly his grogger came and stood beside him. "Haggai, why aren't you asleep?" "Oh, dear," said Haggai, "one Haman was hanged and now there are so many others." "Yes," answered the grogger, "but they'll all be punished. You should be happy because it's Purim. Tomorrow there's that big celebration in Tel Aviv." "How can I be happy," said Haggai, "when Jewish children are suffering in other lands?" "Why don't they come here?" asked the grogger. "I wish they could," sighed Haggai. The grogger jumped about in great excitement. "Why not?" it asked. "You can bring them, Haggai, if you're brave." "How can I bring them?" smiled Haggai. "Listen," said the grogger. "Take me outside. Spread my wings, then sit upon me and fly off. Together we'll fly over foreign lands and bring all the Jewish children here. But don't forget to take provisions, not cakes and goodies, but rockets and flares to light the way." "Hurrah!" cried Haggai.