It was December 2nd, 2001, a week before Hanukkah, not that Josh really took notice of this; the only reason he ever really did notice was because he received a package from his mother every year with eight gifts and the candles for his menorah a few days prior to the holiday.

He was sitting in his office, reading a report he was going to need the next day for a meeting on the hill. When he heard someone clearing their throat, he jumped; it was late and he had thought he was the only one left in the building; he had even sent Donna home a couple of hours prior.

When he looked up, he saw Toby standing in his doorway with an apologetic look on his face.

"Sorry."

Josh shrugged it off.

"I thought I was the only one left; what are you doing here?"

Toby came in and fidgeted for a while before he looked at Josh.

"I think you should give Donna Hanukkah gifts this year."

Josh was taken aback at that, if he'd have had to guess, this would probably not even have made it to the list of possible topics, not even the bottom of it.

"Why? Donna isn't Jewish."

"Actually she is." Toby could see that Josh was just about to say something, so he put up his hand to stop him. "I'll tell you the story, but it's rather long."

Toby waited until a shocked Josh gave him a sign to continue. He sat in one of the visitors' chairs and gathered his thoughts.

"A few days after Rosslyn, I came by to visit you but you were sleeping. Donna was sitting in the visitor's chair next to your bed, just like she always did. I don't actually think she went home other than to sleep and shower the first week you were there."

Josh nodded; he knew that and had half-heartedly tried to get her to go home during the day, but he didn't put up too much of a fight since he felt better knowing she was there.

"She was reading something that I couldn't see what was at first, but then I realized it was note cards."

Josh chuckled a little at that, Donna loved her note cards; she used them for everything she researched.

"When she saw me, she smiled and then got up and pulled me out of the room after checking that you were still sleeping. When she got me out into the hall, we sat in some chairs and she told me how her parents had never been particularly religious, how she had always believed in a higher power but never really bought into the whole Virgin Mary, Holy Ghost and Jesus thing, her words not mine. She told me that while you were in surgery she had prayed with all her might to a god she didn't know how to define for you to be alright and how she had promised herself that if you made it through she would research the subject and find a religion that suited her."

Josh stared at him with his mouth hanging open.

"I know; I was completely dumbfounded when she told me, too. I asked her why she celebrated Christmas if she wasn't Christian, but she waved her hand as if to wave the question away and said that it was because she actually loved the spirit of it, the good will towards man, the decorations and the music. She never had a nativity scene in her home, never put an angel on top of her tree, and she didn't go to church."

Josh looked more and more confused.

"But she's from Wisconsin, that's like 80% Christian."

"Yeah."

Toby nodded as if he totally agreed with Josh's disbelief.

"Anyway, she looked up the predominant world religions and then started researching them while you were sleeping during the day."

"Wow, I never knew, how come she didn't tell me?"

Josh looked at Toby, who shrugged his shoulders.

"I asked her if she had talked to you about any of this and she told me that she didn't want to put this on you. She didn't want you to feel responsible for her finding a faith that suited her."

Josh nodded; that sounded like something Donna would say.

"She had taken them from the top by number of followers, skipping over Christianity since she had already excluded that. She told me that some of the Indian religions really had a lot of merit but they weren't really what she was looking for. It wasn't until she came to number 9 on the list that she found the one that felt right."

Toby looked at Josh, until then he had looked at a spot above his right shoulder.

"She looked at me and gave me a sad little smile and said 'I should have known, Toby, considering I made the promise while praying for Josh's life, I should have know that Judaism would be the one to appeal to me'. She looked so young and so earnest, Josh; I couldn't do anything other than smile and agree with her; it made some kind of Donna sense."

Toby looked a little uncomfortable and shy but it was perfectly clear to Josh what had happened; when Donna gave him those eyes he couldn't do anything but agree with her either, plus, he was very used to Donna-logic.

"She then asked me if she could come with me next time I was going to temple, and since it was Friday, I said we could go that evening. She gave me a little smile and asked what time to be ready and where to meet. I told her to meet me at The White House, we could go from there."

Josh nodded and looked like he was thinking for a little while.

"Sixth and I?"

"Yeah, that's where I usually go. Kesher Israel in Georgetown is Orthodox and I didn't really think she was ready for that, or that it was what she was looking for."

"Yeah, good call. How did it go?"

Josh was very curious about this new development, new for him at least; apparently, this had happened a year and a half ago.

"It went really well, actually so well that afterwards she talked to the rabbi and signed up for classes. I tell you, when she makes up her mind about something, she doesn't waste any time."

"Don't I know it; she's a powerhouse. So she started lessons with the rabbi right away?"

"Yeah, she told me she didn't really see the point in waiting since she knew what she wanted, plus she had promised God that if He would spare you she would find some spiritual guidance and direction in her life."

Josh was floored; he knew that the shooting had had an impact on her, but not that it had been this profound. He suddenly remembered something and looked pointedly at Toby again.

"Why didn't you tell me this last year?"

"Josh, last year Hanukkah started on December 21st."

He didn't say anything else, but the meaning was clear; Josh hadn't exactly been in the best frame of mind around the holidays the year prior. He nodded in understanding and Toby got up to leave.

"Wait, Toby, do you know if she even has a menorah?"

"She does, but it's a simple pewter one; she told me she really couldn't afford one in blown glass like she really wanted, so this would have to do until she had saved up for it."

Toby left and Josh went back to the report he was reading but he couldn't really concentrate. Finally, he gave up all together, took the phone and punched in a number.

"Mom, hi, I need some help."