‘I bought her, I bought her. You know, Jews believed that if someone you loved was in danger you sold them and that warded off the evil eye.’ She laughs. ‘If they weren’t yours what could happen to them?’

I stare hard at her. She ignores my stare.

‘Roseman came to the door and she said to me, “The girl is dying. Will you buy her?” So I bought her. I think I gave Roseman ten dollars.’

‘Ma,’ I say, ‘you knew this was a peasant superstition, an old wives’ tale, and still you took part in it? You agreed to buy her?’

‘Of course I did.’

‘But, Ma! You were both communists.’

‘Well, listen,’ she says. ‘We had to save her life.’