Good late morning, Book Dragons. I hope you’re all doing very well.
In the words of Aunt Alicia from “Gigi”, “Let us recapitulate.” The last junk journal I publicized on my channel was the Wedding Junk Journal for my wonderful brother and sister-in-law. They spent a wonderful honeymoon in Japan, including going to Tokyo Disney and Toyko DisneySea… and returned with gifts for the family.
Once that was done, I was busy assembling and crafting another journal. This one was for an upcoming bat-mitzvah for the fourth child of our family friends up North. I performed parashah for the two of the five children for prior bar-mitzvahs. I missed the the eldest sister because of the pandemic shutdown. Now, the youngest sister was going to have her day. I worked to study and memorize the tropes to make sure I knew the Torah portion by heart. However, I was also working to create a special junk journal in time for her bat-mitzvah. I asked the mother what were her favorite things. Unicorns, Disney Princess (she was having a Disney reception), and PINK, PINK, PINK!
For most of the junk journals I’ve made, I use mostly scrapbook paper for the journal cover and signatures. I use cereal boxes as the base. I had one scrapbook paper from a ‘Once Upon A Time’ kit that was purple, and had unicorn silhouette. I had another paper that appeared to have a pink floral motif against green vines with a blue faux stain-glass edge that framed a brown tapestry. I cut those motifs out and used them for the edge of the journal right up against the unicorn design. To get more unicorns, I went to the Bead Source, and picked up a few more unicorn charms. I also discovered this bead store carries a variety of special charms for religious representation. I found Torah scrolls, Hamsas, Magen David, Israeli flags, and others. I was working on this journal, and managed to finish the majority of it the day before we left. The last thing that morning was the lace band. I’m grateful my dad had some extra velcro pieces. I used that so the band would be easily opened and closed. I made a video of it, and it aired today (after the bat-mitzvah girl received her gift).
Then, it was the long drive up North. I took over driving at least twice, both going and back, and I was rocking out to the film soundtrack…
I find it helpful that if the drive is going to take all day, make the drive worthwhile and enjoyable. This is always a major HIT!!!! I also love driving to Celtic music that’s upbeat, including some from great bands like “Wolfstone” and “Gaelic Storm”. “Yanni” also never disappoints.
For performing a Torah, that’s always been a mystery. Why do some people read Aliyah while other’s ‘sing’ the parashah? For myself, I’m a singer of note, and when I heard the voices of cantors growing up, they always ‘sang’ the written words aloud rather than ‘read’. When I first read for my adult mitzvah, I was almost 30yrs old. I worked with both the rabbi, and the cantor, and I knew the Torah was meant to sung. I didn’t just sing the Haf-Torah; I sang all my portions, which for me was a feat.
So when it came reading the parashah for the first two siblings, I sang again. I recall while others read or sang their best, there was always people chattering just above the whisper. However, I felt the change in atmospheric pressure when I opened my mouth.
Utter silence.
When it closed and I looked up and glanced from side to side, the cantor, rabbi, and others gathered around doing the Aliyah stared at me with their mouths and eyes wide open. I received a chorus of Mazel Tov from just about everyone. And from that day on to this mitzvah, I kept receiving the praise and suggestion: ‘You should be a cantor.’ From this last parashah study with the Hazzan (cantor), she even said I have a good ear, and I know enough of the tropes that I technically could have lessons with her to study the tropes, and then tutor mitzvah students. She said there’s plenty of mitzvah students and very little tutors to assist them. I may just take her up on that offer and reach out again. The mitzvah herself has quite a beautiful voice too when she sang her haftarah portion, with showering candy following suit.
I truly enjoyed the Disney reception later that evening (albeit the music became far too loud much later for me to tolerate). Earlier though, the music of the Disney film songs played in the background as people gathered, the family was presented and we danced the hora, and then we sat down to dinner. The gals in the family were decked out in bejeweled dresses, and the mitzvah girl herself was dressed like it was her quinceanera, which in Jewish tradition, she already was. The ballgown was an ivory color, and had blue multicolored gems on the sweetheart neckline. I sat the “Winnie the Pooh” table. I had completely forgotten that A.A. Milne’s beloved Pooh Bear was brought to life by Disney animation. I also met and made a new friend that’s originally from Bulgaria. We had a nice talk, and we both discussed prior to dinner about our past and most recent health issues. I should be so lucky. We’re both blessed to be alive after our ordeal. As the celebration went on, we all witnessed again the mitzvah girl’s parents dance their wedding song “From This Moment On” by Shania Twain. This has become a staple for every celebration.
It was off for home the very next day, and it was a quite a long drive. Two days before, we drove through Santa Nella, where the last major Andersen’s establishment remains. The restaurant is famous for it’s split pea soup. We decided to stop there for lunch on our way home. It’s so hard to believe that Andersen’s in Solvang closed, and ironic that it’s so close to Solvang.
That morning, I shared the video of the junk journal, and sent the link to her. Later that evening, I received a text from the mitzvah’s mother. The moment she saw the unicorn junk journal, “she insisted on opening it last night and was so touched and absolutely loved it. She spent like an hour analyzing every page…(she asked about where the paper and charms came from)…It might be a bat mitzvah keepsake album as she has lots to add but she will cherish it always.” I’m so glad she enjoyed it, and it was a unforgettable weekend.
I wish you all well, Book Dragons, and keep on reading 😀
Becca B. | The Book Dragon 