Newspaper Page Text
Page 4 • Faith Today
CHILDREN'S STORY HOUR
A Visit to the Synagogue
By Janaan Manternach
NC News Service
"Hi, Linda!” George greeted his
neighbor.
“I’m glad you came to my Bas
Mitzvah Saturday,” Linda
responded.
“I’d never been in a synagogue
before,” George admitted as Linda
and he walked together toward
their school. “It wasn’t as dif
ferent as I expected.”
“I’ve only been in a Catholic
church once,” Linda admitted. “A
friend of my mom’s became
Catholic and we were invited to
the ceremony.”
"I didn’t know there was a
special ceremony for Jewish
girls,” George said. “And I always
thought they called it Bar Mitz
vah.”
“Some Jews do not allow Bas
Mitzvah ceremonies for girls. They
only have Bar Mitzvah for boys.
I’m glad we have both in our
synagogue,” Linda explained
proudly.
“A lot of things in the
synagogue were different but
some seemed quite familiar to
me,” George commented.
“What did you think?” Linda
asked.
“I guess what I liked most was
how you read and prayed in
Hebrew up there in front of
everyone. Your mom and dad had
tears in their eyes by the time you
finished. I didn’t know you knew
Hebrew.”
Linda laughed and admitted, “I
really don’t know too much
Hebrew. I had to study hard
before my Bas Mitzvah,”
“I’m starting to prepare for my
confirmation,” George observed.
“I’m glad I don’t have to learn
Hebrew.”
“What else did you notice
about my Bas Mitzvah,” Linda
asked.
“I was amazed to see that some
of your prayers were almost like
some of our prayers at Mass.”
“I think what I noticed too was
when the rabbi opened the gold
tabernacle in the front wall and
took out that big purple package
with all the gold on it,” he
continued.
“That’s the Torah. It is a rolled
up scroll. It contains the first five
books of the Bible. We believe the
Torah contains God’s own words
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Hidden Words
Find the words hidden in the puzzle below. They may be
vertical, horizontal or diagonal. All the words ore
found in this week's children's story.
H
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P
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SYNAGOGUE, DAS MITZVAH, TORAH, DIDLE, SCRIPTURE, RABBI. HEBREW
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HOW ABOUT YOU?
□ What did Linda do during her Bas Mitzvah that made her parents
proud?
Children's Reading Corner
Often we feel that what needs to be done to change a bad situa
tion is too big for us to handle and so we don’t do anything. But that
was not how Lilly Etta Allen, 9, felt about what was happening to
Tanya, her best friend, in “Sidewalk Story,” by Sharon Bell Mathis.
When Tanya and her family were being evicted from their apartment,
Lilly Etta knew that she had to do something. She did, and it made
a wonderful difference in her life as well as in her friend’s life. (Vik
ing Press, 625 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. 1971. Hardback,
$3.77.)
for us.”
“We also believe that the Bible
contains God’s words for us,”
George insisted.
“I guess it isn’t real important
whether you roll it up into a
scroll or make it into a book,”
Linda said thoughtfully. “As long
as it is really God’s words.”
“1 liked the way the rabbi hand
ed the Torah to your grandparents
first. Then they handed it to your
mom and dad and to you.
“And I didn’t know you were
going to read from Scripture.
Your parents really looked proud
of you.”
The two friends were now close
to their school.
“I’m really glad you invited
me,” George said. “I’d like to
come to your synagogue another
time. And I’d like it if you would
come to our parish for Mass some
Sunday.”
“OK,” Linda answered. “I’d
like that.”
(Ms. Manternach is the author of
catechetical works, scripture
stories and original stories for
children.)
Sister
Christine
Taylor —
Brings New
Hope To An
Age-Old Tribe
The Mohawk Indians at St. Regis
Mission call Sister Mary Christine
Taylor teacher, advisor, spokes
man, friend, and sister. For 12
years she has dedicated herself to
those activities on the 14,600 acre
reservation along the New York
Canadian border.
As she carries out her duties,
Sister Taylor patiently endures
many of the same hardships and
difficulties the Jesuit missionaries
experienced when the mission
was founded in 1762. Through
compassion and self-sacrifice she
has been a Christ-like representa
tive of the Church, always-available
to help the 7,000 Catholics cope
with the demands of change.
With two priests and another
nun, she works untiringly among
the young, aged, shut-ins, and
down trodden to improve educa
tion, health-care, housing, work
ing skills, and religious devotion.
The many new services she has
introduced and programs she co
ordinates have provided a better
life for the Mohawks, giving them
a sense of self-achievement.
The humanitarian accomplish
ments of Sister Taylor have recent
ly been reported in EXTENSION
Magazine. To discover and read
about heroes of today, send for a
free trial subscription.
Please send me a Free Trial Subscription to EXTENSION Magazine.
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