Sarah's Bat Mitzvah / Avaraham ben Avaraham Avinu

Sarah should not even be thinking about it. She knew she would be receiving many wonderful presents for her Bat Mitzvah from family and friends, but it wouldn't be the one she wanted the most. Sarah had seen it on the Eastory web site and wanted it more than anything, she just had to have it! Oh well, the first thing she would buy when she was grown and had money of her own would be the most beautiful Magen David pendant and chain in the world. It was made by hand in Israel, the holy land, so it had to be holy as well. Say, that was a thought. She knew she would be getting a lot of gelt for her Bat Mitzvah, maybe she would get enough to buy it herself. No, that was out of the question. Her parents would make her put the money in her savings account, the one they set up for her for her college education. Wait a minute! Would the same pendant and chain even be available by the time she could afford it on her own. Why couldn't she get it out of her mind? She should be studying her hafTorah again. She must not make a mistake on the Bema, all her family and friends would be listening and watching. Sarah wanted it now. It looked like it was in 3-D and she was sure it possessed the power of G_d, and G_d would be with her and help her through her hafTorah and G_d would be with her always.
Now the big day had arrived. All her friends and relatives were there and hugging her and kissing her and fussing over her. The hafTorah went very well with only one minor stumble. Fortunate her father, who was an Israeli by birth, and now an American, was there on the Bema to correct her, still smiling broadly. Why was her mother crying? Oh well, guess it's a mother thing. The reception went fast, not quite fast enough to suit her, but that was OK. Now that they heading home, she could barely contain her excitement, it was time to open her cards and presents.
Sarah had counted about $175.00 in gelt, opened a nicely bound copy of the Torah in English and Hebrew, more cards than she could count, and some jewelry. But not the one she wanted. There was only one more present to open. The one form uncle Abe. He was a nice old man and always seemed to be in tune with her. He would always stand up for her, even when her parents objected! After tearing off the ribbon and shredding the wrapping paper, she had opened the plain cardboard box to find a woven plastic bag with a ribbon for a string! It was from Israel! Could it be? No, there was only one chance in a million that it would be her Magen David. Yet, miracle of miracles, it was. How could he have known? G_d had been with her all day today, just resting in her bedroom. She would remember to give uncle Abe an extra long hug and always remember him in her prayers.

Avaraham ben Avaraham Avinu aka Andrew L. Smith