Hanukkah was approaching. I was so excited to light candles, eat oily foods (my favorite is potato pancakes), gifts and on top of that, I'm celebrating my first Christmas!! Nat was putting up the tree while I was getting out our menorahs; one for here, and an electric one for the theater (A menorah is the candelabra for Hanukkah). "Can you get the Hanukkah candles? They're in the cupboard!" Nat called as she was trying to put the lights on the tree.
I picked out the candles and a lot more judaica (Jewish artwork/ritual objects) that we bought the weekend after I told her that I was Jewish. Also, I'm reform (very common in London) so that took a lot off of Natalie's shoulders. "Got 'em! Do we have batteries for the electric one?" I asked, rummaging through the bin for AA batteries. "Never mind! Found them!"
I also got some for Nat for the lights. "Oh and my family is coming the week of Christmas. My mum, my dad and my brother Matt."
"Oh, okay."
"They're coming after Hanukkah, relax. I've already told my mum. She's fine with it."
I still couldn't believe that I was going to meet Matt Paris! My "uncle Matt". Natalie's told me about him and I'm so excited! I'm pretty sure that she told him about me too. We then hung up some of the fake holly branches she buys every year to cheer up the flat and I hung a wreath at the front door with "Paris" written in it. "What are your favorite holiday traditions?" I asked Nat a little later.
"We always exchanged jumpers at Christmas and when we were younger, Matt and I made holiday cookies together with my mum."
"Is Matt older or younger?"
"Younger by about four years." Nat said. "What are yours, except for Hanukkah?" Nat chuckled.
"Well, besides Hanukkah, I'd go to Millie's for Thanksgiving —she's American— and I'd bake cookies with my mum too! Chocolate chip ones."
It was finally Sunday. Hanukkah starts tonight!!!! Wednesday night we'll light with actual candles, since the theater doesn't allow us to ignite fire. And it's also the cast's day off. I had put the best dreidels in my purse (we're gonna play it before the show starts) and we were off! "Oh and Hanukkah present for you." Nat said, handing me a paper gift bag.
It was a picture of the cast, which everyone signed with a little note!
HAPPY HANUKKAH LIZ!
Love Jaye'J, Millie, Nat, Lexi, Aimie, Maiya, Grace, Vicki, Collette and Gen. "You didn't have to! This is amazing! THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!" I exclaimed.
"I love you Liz."
WHAT DID SHE JUST SAY?!, I thought, tears welling up in my eyes. "Love you too Nat." I said, hugging her. She felt like a mom now. More than my birth mom was.
We arrived at the theater and I told everyone about dreidel. "So basically, you just spin it, and the letter you get says how much you take from the 'pot' or what you put in. 'Nun' (נ) means nothing. 'Gimmel' (ג) means you take it all. That's the best letter there is. 'Hay' (ה) means you take half. 'Shin' (ש) means you put one in. That's basically it. The letters stand for נס גדול היה שם, or "A Great Miracle Happened There." I explained. "So who wants to go first?" I asked.
"I do!" Maiya exclaimed as I was handing out the one-pound coins to everyone.
She spun the dreidel. She got a Nun. "Bummer." Maiya said, with her finger tracing a tear down her cheek.
We played until around 5, and then it was time to light the candles. "Barukh atah...l'hadlik ner shel Hanukkah. Barukh atah...ba'yamim ha'hem, ba'zman hazeh. Barukh atah...shehecheyanu, v'kiyemanu, v'higianu lazman hazeh." I chanted as Aimie flipped the switches on the menorah.
"That was beautiful!!" Nat exclaimed, giving me a big hug.
"Woof! Woof!" Wolfie barked in agreement as she placed her paws on my jeans.
"It's three blessings on all the nights?" Grace asked.
"Just the first, since it's first time in a year we have done this. Tomorrow night and the nights after until the end of the holiday, it's two blessings." I explained as Millie handed me a little box.
Inside was two front row seats to SIX! "One for you, and one for Millie!" Millie said.
"Thank you thank you thank you!" I squealed. "Can I tell Millie?"
"Wait, there's more." Lexi said. "We also got you an all-you-can-buy merchandise package!"
"Thank you thank you thank you!!" I exclaimed.
I picked up my phone and texted Millie.
Liz: photo attached
Millie: NO WAY HDMXNDJXNF
Millie: when is it?
Liz: January 13
Millie: EEEEEEEK
"Yep. She's excited." I said.
The best Hanukkah ever, I swear. All thanks to the cast of Six.
I wanted to put in the transliteration for the Hanukkah blessings in there. I tried to minimize the Hebrew, if it's too much, let me know.
Thanks for reading!
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Queen Of The Castle: Adopted By Six The Musical
Random13-year-old Elizabeth "Liz" Abrams has had a wonderful childhood in London. When her parents announce that they are splitting up, they tell her that they can't take care of her anymore. She leaves for the city, devastated. Outside the Arts Theater o...
