A contemplative moment. During her twelfth year, Sasha learned American Sign Language and early Hebrew (think Chaucer) well enough to write her own translation of the text she chose from the Torah to direct her Bat Mitzvah ceremony. The synagogue she held it in was originally formed for a hearing-impaired congregation. It now has a completely broad scope of members but, out of respect for the many hearing-impaired congregants, her grandparents and parents learned to 'sign' their roles in the ceremony as well; a tribute of intensity and intelligence to the meaning of the ceremony.