Hanukkah Rescue
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This Book Is About You!
Bethany Richardson
Age 11
With Love From,
Mom
2004
Page 3
It was the seventh night of Hanukkah.
Bethany Richardson was home in Austin. She had been playing dreidel with Zach and Michael all evening. Beth was eating a potato latke when a friend from the synagogue called.
Page 4
"Did you hear about the lost little boy?" Beth’s friend asked. "His family goes to our synagogue. He’s missing and his parents don’t know what to do. The police have no clues. He could be anywhere."
Page 5
When Beth told Zach and Michael about the lost boy, she said, "How sad. The poor little boy must be scared. I wish I could help. But how could I help if the police couldn’t find him?"
Page 6
Jewish children had been enjoying Hanukkah games and songs and all the wonderful food for the past six nights. But now they were sad because of the lost little boy. It was hard for Beth to be happy when she thought of him.
Page 7
Cold weather was coming. Inside their warm houses, people worried about him and hoped he would be found soon.
Page 8
Beth said to Zach and Michael, "He will be all right. I just know it."
Page 9
The TV news reporter said the boy was last seen on a street in Austin, playing with a dreidel. "That street is near my home," Beth thought. "If the rescue team has not found him by morning, I want to go out and help look for him."
Page 10
The rescue team turned the town upside down looking for the little boy. They searched all night without success.
Page 11
It was early the next morning, the last day of Hanukkah. Beth said to Zach and Michael, "Let’s go to the street where he was last seen. He couldn’t have vanished without someone seeing something."
Page 12
Beth asked the barber, who said he had not seen him. Neither had the banker when Beth asked. They had already told the same thing to the police.
Page 13
The rabbi had seen him playing dreidel yesterday, but he had no idea what happened after that. The rabbi said, "I have looked everywhere for him. I feel so sorry for the poor child and his parents. You are kind to be trying to help."
Page 14
Beth walked toward home, feeling sad. "I thought I could help," she said. "How could he just disappear?" she wondered. At that instant Beth noticed a twinkling of light that seemed to come from the street. "What was that?" he asked aloud.
Page 15
Then she saw it again. The light was coming from a storm drain. Beth carefully bent down to get a better look, then she shouted with excitement. There was the boy’s dreidel, reflecting the morning sun into Beth’s eyes. Next to it was the little boy, fast asleep. "I found him!" Beth cried to Zach and Michael.
Page 16
The rescue team soon arrived and pulled the sleepy boy from the drain, unhurt. "I spun my dreidel and it fell down there," the little boy said to Beth and the rescue team. "I climbed down after it and then couldn’t climb out. I guess I fell asleep." His relieved parents wanted to know who had found him.
Page 17
"Bethany Richardson found him," said the head of the rescue team. "How can we ever thank you?" asked the boy’s parents. "I’m just glad he is all right," said Beth.
Page 18
Then Beth invited the little boy and his parents to celebrate Hanukkah at her home that evening. The menorah burned brighter than ever that night. Everyone had a wonderful time. They were thankful for the little boy’s safety. Chag Sameach (Have a Happy Holiday).
