ONE TRUE GIFT: WHAT’S YOUR NAME?

Working in a global company and living in a diverse neighborhood I’ve met lots of interesting people with many interesting names. Some have a familiar sound and cadence. Some are foreign to me. In all cases I am intrigued by names. I like to know where they came from and what they mean. I abhor the notion of abbreviating a name for convenience of people who won’t take the time to learn correct pronunciations. Why should someone with a beautiful name accept that it’s easier for others to change it? No, this is wrong. Names are important. Names speak truth about who we are and who we are meant to be.

Take my daughter for example. Like most about-to-be-parents, my husband and I spent weeks deliberating what we would name our child. We knew she (or he) would be special and therefore deserved a special name. We wanted a name that would be unique and at the same time not be too unusual for our cultural heritage. AAs Jews of Eastern European descent, we wanted a name that would memorialize people close to us and at the same time pay homage to our child’s biological mother. Having a meaningful Hebrew name is one important component of a distinct Jewish identity. This was a landmark decision for us. The name needed to start with the Hebrew

Shin (Sh) or a Yud (“J” or “Y” sound). We wanted a name that would sound good when you yelled it down the block. We wanted a name that would radiate love when you whispered it at bedtime.

At 9:03 am on March 27, 2009, our daughter was born. I cut the umbilical cord and my husband held her in his arms. Time seemed to stand still. At 9:02 am we were standing by her birthmother’s side and at 9:03 we became parents. We had previously narrowed names to a few favorites but in that moment—that precious moment in time – we both knew her name would be Sharōn Ya’akova. Sanya Jaye. We said it aloud at the same time.

This week’s Parashat Sh’mot teaches us the importance of names. In Exodus 1:21 the King punishes the Israelites by demanding every son be killed and every daughter to live. This edict desecrates the Jewish population and impacts the naming lineage. The story continues with raising Moses. In the burning bush scene, Moses asks G-d for G-d’s name, and G-d replies “Eyeh-Asher-Eyeh.” Translated this means “I am that I am.” In other words, I will become what I choose to become.

The name Sanya (pronounced Sahn-ya, not Sōn-ya) is a derivative of the Hindu name Saniya which has multiple meanings. The one that stood out to us is “moment in time.” Sanya Jaye was—is—and always will be—a precious moment in time. She can choose to become whoever she wants. She has the strength and courage of her birthmother, the kindness, resourcefulness and sensibilities of her late Grandma Sharon, and the tenacity, sweetness, creativity and pride of her Uncle Gary’s father, Ya’akov (Jack).

One of my fondest memories of Sanya’s childhood is how we would wrap her in a towel after bath and say the words “we’re wrapping you up like the one true gift that you are.” Sanya Jaye, aka Sharōn Ya’akova, is truly a gift, each and every day. She is a blessing and she is living her namesakes proud.

As we prepare for Shabbat this week, let’s think about who we are. What is our name? What does it say about us? How do we choose to live our name?

Shabbat Shalom.