On September 13th, the Jewish year 5776 will begin. I remember a story that happened 30 years ago. I had a friend, and his birthday in that distant year coincided with the Jewish New Year. I was on a business trip, I could not personally congratulate and decided to send a telegram. Why a Telegraph? Because there were no emails then, the letters could go as long as they wanted, and the telegrams, if sent earlier, during the day still arrived.

I went to the post office for the opening. I wrote on a form (without signs of interruption and excuses, not to pay extra money): "Dear Misha We congratulate you on your birthday We wish you all good kisses" and I think how to congratulate you on the New Year? The traditional formula in Hebrew is this: "Shana to u-metuka!" - "Good and sweet year!", but it was not possible to write this, the time was such. Writing in Hebrew – encryption. Writing in Russian – why do you congratulate the New Year in September? In any case, a challenge to the KGB is ensured. The congratulations in this case will live into subversive Zionist activity, and there is not far from the betrayal of the Motherland. They probably won’t land, but the trouble will be certain. Therefore, I did not continue the text, but signed: "Shanina Tobin Umetukov Bikoyarov". The bullshit is me.The mail received the telegram without questions.

What happened in the evening, Misha briefly described as follows: “I come home from work. Birthday, New Year, guests on the way, champagne and vodka in the refrigerator, and my Aida is darker than clouds. He extends a telegram and says:
Read it! Congratulations on your birthday! Well, I know, but who are these three fools?“!”

To all who celebrate and do not celebrate: Shanata to u-metuka! and postcard at http://abrp722.livejournal.com in my Live Journal.