The
name of my portion, Vayetze, means “And he went out.” Jacob was starting on
long journey – it would be 20 years before he would return home. So it’s understandable that Jacob was nervous. He was not sure where he would end up. But it didn’t stop him from taking that leap
of faith, to set out for places unknown.
All
these uncertainties are bothering him as he lies down to sleep on the first
night of his journey. And he has a
dream. In that dream, God speaks to him,
promising him that he will be protected and safe and able to fulfill all his
goals, and then return safely.
For
Jacob, the journey began with a dream.
I
also have a dream – to play basketball for a division 1 school (and I really
hope it’s U Conn!!!!). In order to make
this dream come true, like Jacob, I’ll also have to take lots of leaps, leaps
of faith and leaps on the court. I’ll
have to do many things that are very challenging.
So
how do you turn a dream into reality?
In
order to become a better basketball player, I’ve had to work really hard and
make some sacrifices.
o First, I quit softball to focus
on basketball, which meant missing a chance to spend time with a number of my
friends.
o Second, I practice all the time,
with my team and on my own. Sometimes I get really frustrated at myself,
especially when I don’t play my best.
o Third, I really decided to
challenge myself this year by playing in boys pick up league. It is a much faster game, which makes me have
to work that much harder to get open. I
also have had to earn their respect, to prove that I can play with them. I know I’ve done that because they are always
passing me the ball and they give me high fives and say “good job,” just like
one of the guys.
o Fourth, my commitment to playing
basketball has meant that I’ve had less time to spend with my friends.
o Fifth, I’ve also missed out on
summer activities, since I work out anywhere from two to three hours every day,
all summer long.
As
we all know, when following our dreams, there will always be obstacles that we
must overcome. A month ago, I sprained my ankle and even though I was not able
to play with my foot in a boot, I still managed to practice:
o I still could dribble in place
and work on other aspects of the game
o I still went to practices, to learn
the plays
o And my injury had one other
benefit: I could focus more on my bat mitzvah!
So
like Jacob’s, my dream is very much alive.
And he dreamed his dream at a place that he called Beth El, the house of
God. Today, as I become a bat mitzvah at
this Beth El, I know how important dreams can be, not just your own, but those
of others too.
That’s
why I’ve chosen as a Mitzvah project to work with kids who have dreams similar
to my own. They love to play basketball.
Only these kids have various kinds of disabilities. Some play while in a wheelchair.
These
kids have taught me a lot. They are always
enthusiastic about everything appreciate even the smallest things, like a high
five from me or when I say “good job.”
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