“Time to put your Hebrew to good use,” his father said.
Andy nodded, and, after a moment’s hesitation, began to read prayers from the candle box while setting the red candle ablaze. They were transliterated, but he focused on the Hebrew characters above the English text. He knew he needed to take this ancient, tricky language and make it his own if he stood any chance of getting through his Bar Mitzvah. The Hanukah prayers would be good practice. His voice wrestled with the syllables, but in the end, he nailed it, even the extra prayer for the holiday’s first night.
“Very nice, Andy,” his mother said as she took the dripping shamas and placed it in the holder.