On one dark and starry night, six candles burn while my family members and I exchange presents at my grandmother’s house in New Jersey. This is an important Channukah for me because it was the last one before I had my Bat Mitzvah, when I (technically), became a Jewish adult. To celebrate this coming-of-age event, my mom got me a special gift: a necklace she ordered from Jerusalem that shows my Hebrew name, Sarah Yael, in Hebrew letters. This necklace is somewhat symbolic because it shows me growing up and into my Jewish identity, even displaying it. My Hebrew name is just my first name and middle name combined because they are both already Hebrew names (Sarah and Yael). My first name comes from two of my mom’s favorite cousins, Steve and Scotty. My middle name comes from my maternal grandfather, whose Hebrew name was Yoyle, so I got the female version, which is Yael. While my name is similar to their names, I do not have the exact same name as any of the people I’m named after. This is because, in Judaism, if you name your child with the exact same name as another family member, it is like stealing a piece of their soul from them. 

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more