Lauren Yanofsky Hates the Holocaust by Leanne Lieberman (2013-04-01) by Leanne Lieberman

Author:Leanne Lieberman [Lieberman, Leanne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: JUV026000, JUV016060, JUV039220
Amazon: B01K2K1FGU
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 1716-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Nine

My alarm rings before it’s even light outside, and I peel myself out of bed. Em lives a few blocks away in an ancient mansion with beautiful woodwork and enormous fireplaces. Her house is so big and formal, I feel weird letting myself in the side door.

Fortunately, the Bible group isn’t meeting in the living room—which reminds me of a funeral parlor from a movie, with lots of high-back sofas and long creepy drapes—but in the blue-and-white TV room on the second floor. When I arrive, lots of girls are already there. I recognize kids from school, some I didn’t even know were Christians. Everyone speaks in whispers, although somewhere in the house I can hear kitchen cupboards opening and water running.

I sit next to Em and she introduces me to Cathy, a woman who looks younger than our moms but older than a college student. She has long blond hair in a braid down her back and is wearing a loose plaid shirt.

“Lauren’s just observing today,” Em says.

“Great.” Cathy smiles. “Feel free to join in.”

Cathy calls the group to attention and asks them to turn to Mark 12. I decide to sit back from the group, on the window seat. I watch the girls flip through their Bibles and listen to Em read several verses, ending with, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

Em pauses and Cathy turns to the group. “So what should we make of this?”

There’s a moment of silence, and then a girl I don’t know says, “Well, I think it means we should be good friends.”

I sit up a little straighter as the girls discuss what it means to be a good friend. I’ve never heard the Bible talked about as actually relevant to our lives. At Hebrew school, we talked about Jewish history or what the different rabbis said or how to fulfill Jewish commandments.

After the discussion, each girl shares her prayers for the day. Chloe is first. “I pray to understand math and get along better with my mom. And for all my friends to be happy.” She looks over at me.

The next girl says, “I pray for my sister to stop taking my stuff.” Everyone laughs. “And for Claire to be okay with her parents’ divorce.” Everyone looks at a girl named Claire, and she tries to smile.

Another girl I don’t know says, “I pray for my grandmother to recover from her operation, and I’m thankful for Em’s mom’s pancakes.” More laughter.

Claire waves her hand in front of her mouth when it’s her turn, so Cathy says, “We all pray for Claire to be strong and to be helped by her friends through this difficult time. And we hope she knows Jesus is her friend.”

Claire says, “Thank you.”

I knit my brow. Jesus? How is Jesus your friend if he died for your sins? Then Em says, “I pray for all my friends to make the right decisions and feel peaceful.”

She looks at me across the room.

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