The morning after Thanksgiving, Anna and her family ate breakfast, then headed for the open air shopping plaza. Anton parked in the huge parking lot and took Simon's stroller out of the trunk, and then they headed for the department store in the middle.
Patty said she wanted to look in the smaller stores along the side first, so they did that. They walked past a shoe store, a clothing store, a jewelry store, a barber shop, and a toy store. Patty stood for a long time admiring the mannequin in the front window of the clothing store.
"Her dress is so beautiful!" she sighed.
"You look good in red," Anton remarked.
"Do we have time to look in there?" Anna asked when they reached the toy store.
"Certainly," said Anton.
Inside the toy store were balls, spinning tops, stuffed animals, toy soldiers, puzzles, games, dolls, and many other things. Anna was drawn to a box of tiny dolls, each one dressed in the traditional outfit of a different country or culture.
"Look!" Anna grabbed the box and held it up to show her parents. "Aren't they beautiful?"
"Very nice," said Patty as Anton smiled.
They entered the large department store in the middle of the shopping center. Simon was fussy, so Patty took him into the restroom and changed his diaper. Then they headed to the fourth floor, where a line of children waited to sit on Santa's lap.
Anna joined the line and waited patiently for her turn. At last it came.
"Ho, ho, ho," Santa said as he reached for her and pulled her into his lap. "What do you want for Christmas this year, little girl?"
"Do you bring toys to Jewish children, too?" asked Anna.
"I bring toys to all the little boys and girls in the world, sweetheart."
"So it doesn't matter that I'm half Jewish, then?"
"Of course not!"
Anna grinned. "Good, because there's this box of little dolls from all over the world I just saw, and I'd love it if you could bring it to me!"
Santa patted her back. "I'll see what I can do. You have a Merry Christmas, now."
"Thanks!"
She rejoined her parents and younger brother.
"How about if you and I look around up here for awhile," Anton suggested. "Your mother has an important errand she needs to run."
"OK, Daddy!"
They walked up and down the aisles, looking at all the different toys. Anna didn't see anything she liked as much as the doll set. Anton picked out several small toys for Simon.
When Patty returned, she had a large package under her arm.
"We got Simon a clown, a bunny, and a duck," Anna told her.
"That's nice," said Patty. "Now, if you'll come with me, your father has an errand he needs to run, too."
They went to look in the record section.
"Your Aunt Sharon likes Ricky Nelson," said Patty. "This album will make a nice Hanukkah present for her."
When Anton returned, he had a large package under his arm, too.
By that time, everyone was hungry, so they went to Morrison's and had lunch, then back home.
Patty dimmed the lights, and a hush fell over the room as she recited the three blessings.
"Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha'olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitvotav v'tsivanu l'hadlik ner shel Hanukkah. Blessed are you oh Lord, ruler of the universe, who made us holy through your commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah lights. Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha'olam, she-asah nisim la'avoteinu bayamin hahem bazman hazeh. Blessed are you oh Lord, ruler of the universe, who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors on those ancient days in this season. Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha'olam, shehecheynu v'kiyamanu v'hagiyanu l'azman hazeh. Blessed are you oh Lord, ruler of the universe, who has given us life and sustained us and enabled us to reach this season."
She lit the first candle on the menorah.
"Hebrew must be a pretty hard language to learn, isn't it, Mommy?" asked Anna.
Patty smiled. "Not if you grow up learning it."
"Then how come I don't know it?"
"Oh, we only learned enough to recite the blessings, but I'll be happy to teach those to you, if you like."
"Maybe someday."
Anton laughed. "I think Anna is much more interested in eating right now."
"Nobody is my family knows Hebrew," Mary Lou said later, as they were eating. She'd come over to play with Anna and stayed for dinner.
"That's 'cause your family doesn't have any Jews," Anna told her.
"What are Jews?" asked Mary Lou.
"Just like Christians, only without Jesus," said Anna. "Right, Mommy?"
Patty laughed. "There's a bit more to it than that. The Jewish Bible, the Torah, is part of the Christian Bible, it's true, but the Jews have their own holidays, customs, and traditions which are different from the Christian ones."
After dinner, Anna showed Mary Lou how to play Dreidel, and gave her some gelt to take home with her.
That night, Anton came into his daughter's bedroom to say her bedtime prayer with her, as he did every night.
"Ich bin klein, mein Herz ist rein, darf niemand drin wohnen als Jesus allein.""