Shifra fingered the small metal box, wondering which button to press. She quickly decided on the orange one this time and pressed.

All at once the world was clouded in orange, a repeat performance of last time. Shifra squeezed her eyes shut and felt a thrill of excitement travel down her spine. Where was she going this time?

With a thump, she landed. Things were familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

Squinting in the bright sunlight Shifra felt a cool breeze rush through her hair, a contrast to last time when it was hot but with no breeze at all.

Shifra made her way down the dusty pathway not knowing to where she was headed. Unlike last time, no girl came up to tell her where she was. In the distance Shifra could make out a lone palm tree swaying gently in the breeze, a figure sitting beneath it.

There’s something familiar about this scenario, Shifra thought. In a minute she found out why.

Sitting under the palm tree was someone who Shifra had never seen before, although for some reason she had a feeling that she knew who it was. She inched closer, feeling uncharacteristically shy. The woman had her eyes closed and Shifra didn’t want to disturb but she just had to know…

“Devorah?” Shifra asked uncertainly.

Devorah’s eyes fluttered open. She then smiled a warm inviting smile that promptly melted Shifra’s previous feelings of discomfort.

“Shifra. Welcome, I was waiting for you,” Devorah said in a pleasant tone of voice.

Miriam also knew my name before I told her, Shifra mused. But instead of feeling uncomfortable, Shifra felt… content.

“You know,” Devorah said after motioning to Shifra to sit down and serving her some water and sticky dates, “I don’t have to be here.”

Shifra looked up in surprise. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“Baruch Hashem the weather is excellent today,” Devorah chuckled slightly, “but not every day is it like that. If I wanted to I could be in my comfortable home, doing what I please. But even the thought of that makes me cringe. Do you know why? Because I could be doing something far more productive! I could be helping our brothers and sisters- the Jewish people!” Devorah paused and took a sip of water from an earthenware cup.

Shifra felt Devorah’s words sinking in. Wow, it’s so true, she thought.

“Though it may be uncomfortable at times,” Devorah continues, “I push past those feelings! Hashem wants me to do it so I do it!” Devorah thumped her fist into her other palm.

Shifra felt an unfamiliar feeling wash over her- strength. Yes, she could do this. She would follow in Devorah’s lead. Her family was supposed to fly back to America in four months. Those four months Shifra would use wisely.

“Here,” Devorah passed her a sliver jar of ink and a feather. “Use these to write down your plans in helping the Jewish people.”

Shifra gripped the gift in her hands, thanked Devorah the prophetess profusely and once again pressed the button.

To be continued…