Hannah is a remarkable young lady. It’s not surprising, given the family that she comes from. She is lucky enough to have an upbeat, thoughtful, loving mom whom I’ve gotten to know over the past year at our Friday morning class taught by the Rabbi at our synagogue. She hired me to tutor Hannah for her Bat Mitzvah because she resonated with the life coach inspired opinions I shared in class. What’s remarkable about Hannah is her loving nature and her giving heart. She was eager to learn with me about her Torah portion, and I loved listening to her sweet voice as she sang the songs of Thanksgiving that I taught her. What sets Hannah apart from other twelve-year old girls is her selflessness. She committed to giving charity to Kids in Crisis, an organization that shelters kids whose homes are unsafe. She focused on giving to teens, and she and her friends spent a day cooking up a tasty Mexican meal geared to the taste of teenagers. And instead of just dropping off the typical lasagna and salad, Hannah and friends hand delivered a tasty taco meal with all the scrumptious Mexican accompaniments. But that wasn’t enough. At her Bat Mitzvah, whose theme is peace, love and happiness, she is giving everyone the chance to contribute by bringing specific items needed by Kids in Crisis, and there will be a table to wrap these gifts at the Bat Mitzvah celebration on Saturday night.
On a recent shopping trip to buy sneakers, Hannah and her mom inquired about the sale shoes that were left unsold. They were told that these shoes go to a back storage room and are usually thrown away. Of course, Hannah asked if she could donate them to Kids in Crisis, and the shoes are now on their way! What a thoughtful family.
In fifteen minutes, we will have our last practice run-through before the big day on Saturday. It is with sadness and joy that I go to this last session. I will miss Hannah and her mom. I wish all my students were as sweet, kind and eager. She has no teen attitude, no sense of entitlement. This is a girl whose greatest joy is to give, and she has taught me more than I have taught her. I hope that Hannah has inspired you to be as giving. I know that she inspired me.
