{"id":9786,"date":"2013-10-04T17:26:07","date_gmt":"2013-10-04T23:26:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=9786"},"modified":"2013-10-04T17:26:07","modified_gmt":"2013-10-04T23:26:07","slug":"a-southern-simcha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/a-southern-simcha\/","title":{"rendered":"A Southern simcha"},"content":{"rendered":"

By TED ROBERTS, the SCRIBBLER ON THE ROOF<\/em><\/p>\n

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Turn left at the large tree with the purple leaves, follow the right split at the convenience store, go left at the bottom of the hill, stay right at the church. Which church? Which hill?\u00a0Which convenience store? Which tree – the sycamore or the oak?<\/p>\n

But given my Boy Scout and Army experience, I was not dismayed. No way would I miss this heart-ringing celebration – a baby naming – a glorious, radiant child birthed by my first Bat Mitzvah student of 25 years ago.\u00a0A normally rebellious colt civilized by Judaism, the passage of time, and a slight application of discipline by her parents. Twelve year old girls have a long list of interests beginning with boys and ending with soccer – all preceding Haftorah.<\/p>\n

But this child occupied a special place in my heart; and \u201cdo a semi-circle avoiding the Burger King’s plate glass front, then an 80-degree turn facing the big office building\u201d was not going to stop this ex-Boy Scout with a merit badge in Map Reading.<\/p>\n

So, my wife – map on her lap and pessimism in her heart because she knew, Boy Scout or not, that I once got lost in our living room when she rearranged the furniture – and I cruised down I-65 to Birmingham.<\/p>\n

I was anxious to see the clever little girl I had once tutored.\u00a0 And I was flattered that the passage of time had not destroyed sweet memories of our joint year of learning Torah, Haftorah, and blessings.\u00a0Twenty-five years and she still remembered her old Bat Mitzvah teacher.\u00a0 Life should be full of such blessings – far better than money.\u00a0 A rare flash of light over thirty years of prodding, pushing – you could say shoving – kids to the \u201cLight of Zion\u201d as Isaiah might have put it.<\/p>\n

Once off the Interstate \u201ctake the exit after the two hills separated by a brook with yellow pebbles\u201d.\u00a0 No, I exaggerate.\u00a0 The exit was numbered as she said.\u00a0 And my wife watched with wonder in her eyes as this ex-Scout, after twelve turns and only three stops for advice, pulled up at the front door of the only house on the block with a new baby and a table full of delicacies and beverages.<\/p>\n

Being an ex-Army man, I did NOT cry as my ex-student – now mother – hugged me.\u00a0 Misty, but not sobbing, I hugged her back.\u00a0Rabbi Goldsmith of Congregation Beth El presided over a beautiful ceremony wherein the\u00a0 young honoree was named Leah Rina bat Daniela – English, London Riley Pigott.\u00a0 (I suggested \u201cBroil\u201d as her middle name, but was booed down.)\u00a0 Then like good Jews from around the world we plundered a groaning table of bagels, lox, cream cheese naturally; plus nibbles from the four corners of the earth.<\/p>\n

My cup runneth over, I thought.\u00a0 But not yet, because the Bat Mitzvah girl honored me by requesting my signature on the naming certificate. Again, I showed my strength by a firm nod and a shaky signature.\u00a0 This
\nchild who had once provoked me to pounding the table and inaudibly thinking of many choice obscenities had brought new life into the world.\u00a0To me, an elegant mitzvah of transcendental proportions – that magical transformation seen so often we miss the miracle – child into mother.<\/p>\n

The ride home was uneventful until we passed the Galleria – the kind of mall that makes women pant.\u00a0 My wife panted and her pupils widened like that of the female leopard when she sights a gazelle.\u00a0 I yielded, but due to pulling and tugging, we logged the shortest shopping trip – 45 minutes – in the Guinness Book of Records.<\/p>\n

To be a part of such a \u201csimcha\u201d warmed my heart the rest of the way home.\u00a0My thoughts drifted back to pictures of me and the child at her dining room table practicing Haftorah.\u00a0And we only had to stop twice
\nfor directions.<\/p>\n

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