Sons and Daughters of Sarah and Abraham
One of the secret codes of Jews By Choice is our name in Hebrew. While others are the son or daughter of their birth mother and father, we are the sons and daughters of Sarah and Abraham. When I'm at shul and people are being called to Torah by their hebrew names, I listen to hear who might be a son or daughter of Sarah and Abraham.
The last two weeks, one parent of our b'nei mitzvot has been a convert. I think that being a Jew by Choice and having a child become bar or bat mitzvah must feel like coming full circle. Not only did you make a choice for yourself, but you have brought another Jewish person to adulthood.
So I listen close, who are their hebrew parents. And I resonate when I hear that a mother or father is a child of Sarah and Abraham. Someday, God willing, it will be my son or daughter. Their hebrew name will include "child of Leah and Insert Name of Fantastic Husband her," but when I'm called to Torah it will be "bat Sarah v'Avraham." And in the congregation another Jew by Choice will hear our secret code.
