Note about the story-
There won’t be any specific order for when each chapter will come out. Probably once every couple of days or so.

“Can I please have the fish?” one of the guests, Pedro, asked in his heavily accented English.

“Sure!” Tatty said cheerfully, passing the platter along.

Shifra sighed inwardly. Though all of the guests knew English, Shifra wished that they could speak in regular, American English and not half Spanish and half English. She didn’t even want to be here. It was just awkward. Shifra listened with half an ear to Meir’s singsong recitation of the Parashah. He had a high, cute voice and Shifra couldn’t help but smile.

Tatty always asked Shifra to share something about the Parashah that she had learned in school to the table, but with all of the guests present, Shifra clammed up. She usually loved sharing, but with all of the Argentinians staring at her, she just couldn’t. So she stayed silent and instead helped Ma serve.

This week a girl was present who Shifra actually took a liking to. She looked about 20 years old, had wavy light brown hair and twinkling brown eyes. She introduced herself as Janet and Shifra quickly realized that she had a decidedly American accent.

“Hi, I’m Janet,” she had said when it was her turn to introduce herself. “I’m actually from LA, California, and I’m touring around south America with a few of my friends. I was the only one brave enough to venture out to the Rabbi’s house for the Shabbat meals,” she laughed. “The rest of my friends opted to stay in the hotel.” Janet flashed a bright smile and lifted her fork to her mouth. Then she quickly lowered it, having remembered something else she wanted to say. “And now I realize that it’s actually not so scary after all!”

Shifra smiled. She’s cute, the thought to herself, and finally- a regular accent!

To be continued…