SHABBAT GROUP TIMES<\/p>\n\n\n\n
April 17, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
BREAKING NEWS!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n WRITING CONTEST THIS WEEK<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today is the first SGT writing contest. As you may know, the winner will get their name mentioned and their story re-printed in the next issue, as well as a $20 gift card of their choosing. Please read each story and send in your vote for the story you like best to shabbatgrouptimes@gmail.com<\/a>. The stories are on page A2.<\/em> Everyone has different preferences. To all contestants, do not forget: if you lose, it does NOT mean no one liked your story. Millions of thanks to everyone who entered a story into the contest! May YHWH bless you to have a great time\u2014and maybe even win, too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Messiah Yeshua.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Colossians 3:23\u201424<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember this verse today as people read your story! Whether you win or not, you have honored YHWH with your writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ASA QUOTE OF THE WEEK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBruh, you know I have a pocket-knife and I can cut hamburgers open.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Asa, randomly.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n DAD JOKE OF THE WEEK <\/strong>\ud83d\ude16<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Provided by Dad (John-David) Warren<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>What kind of dog is native to Antartica?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>A chilly dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n EXCLUSIVE!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n MERRILEE CONFESSES NEWSLETTER SECRET<\/p>\n\n\n\n Merrilee Warren, <\/strong>age 12, editor of the Shabbat Group Times newsletter, recently confessed to the fact that the page numbers are not actually used to organize the content of this newsletter. They are only to look like a real newsletter. Merrilee humbly asks everyone to forgive her for this horrible scam because, as we all know, scam is not kosher. Please don’t banish her to Antartica! That’s where all the flying babies go! It’s also COLD!<\/p>\n\n\n\n EXCLUSIVE! Below are the entries for the writing contest! We hope you enjoy them. You can vote for your favorite story at shabbatgrouptimes@gmail.com<\/a>. If you are not allowed to use a computer, ask your parents to send in your vote for you. We want everyone to vote!<\/p>\n\n\n\n INDIAN GOLD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We sat on the ground Indian style, dirt under our fingernails and smudged on our faces. I listened to Alice’s tails in wonder as we dirtied our fingers in the damp red clay which she called Indian dirt. We were digging for \u201cIndian gold\u201d. As she talked, we dipped our hands into the hole, scraping the bottom and bringing out more dirt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On my first day at Briarwood Christian School, I never dreamed I’d have such a friend. I walked into the first grade classroom and felt so small. I didn’t know anyone here, yet everyone else seemed to know each other. Then I saw another girl like myself, sitting alone crying, her head buried in her arms on her desk. I approached her. \u201cHello, what’s your name?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAlice,\u201d she said, bringing her head up only long enough to look at who had spoken to her. I looked into her sad green eyes, the whites tinged red with sadness, and found myself becoming sad, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat’s wrong?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She stopped crying and looked at me. \u201cI’m new here. I don’t know anyone, and I miss my mom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI’m new here too!\u201d I was excited that I had found someone to sympathize with, but I still felt sorry for her. \u201cWould you like to be my friend? I don’t know anyone here either. My name is Melissa.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n We quickly became good friends and found that our loneliness at a new school wasn’t the only thing we shared. We both longed for adventure. Every day at playtime, while the other chilcred were busy running, playing tag, and swinging from the monkey bars, Alice and I dug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We sat in a far corner of the playground, and I listened intently to her stories of brave Indian warriors, beautiful Indian princesses, and of old Indian treasures buried right in our school playground. \u201cLong ago, Indians lived right on this spot, and they buried tons of their gold treasure! When we find it, we’ll be very rich!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was strangefully and fearfully excited as she told me about the dangers. \u201cBe careful!\u201d she warned. \u201cWhen we get deep enough, there are Indian spirits and black widow spiders that will try to kill us! We’ll need something to make them stay away from us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n We put our snacks around the hole to appease and divert these terrible threats to our quest. Despite the dangers, we dug faithfully every day, and the whole time I truly believed the stories Alice was telling me. \u201cWhen are we going to find the treasures?\u201d After long months of digging, we still hadn’t found anything, and I brought it up at lunch. \u201cWhy haven’t we found any Indian gold yet?\u201d I asked, taking another bite of my peanut butter and banana sandwich.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBecause there is none,\u201d Alice said matter-of-factly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I thought she was joking. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere is no Indian gold. It’s just a game.\u201d She smiled as if it were a game and finished the last bit of her chocolate milk, slurping the bottom of the cardboard carton with her straw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was angry and hurt. I ate the rest of my lunch in silence, but Alice didn’t seem to notice that anything was wrong. I wasn’t sure what to think. Did she care? Did it even matter?<\/p>\n\n\n\n We had fun digging, and I realized that it didn’t really matter if we ever found the treasure. When recess time came, we walked to our hole together, just as we had done every day before, and continued to dig. I listened intently to her stories of brave Indian warriors, beautiful Indian princesses, and of old Indian treasures buried right under our playground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n * * *<\/p>\n\n\n\n I guess this is how the world works. So many people spend so much time trying to reach a goal, only to find out that they can’t. Then they feel like they have wasted precious time and energy for something that wasn’t even lucrative. Few people realize that perhaps the experiences they have made while trying to reach their goals are more wonderful than actually reaching the goals themselves. For me, it was the time I spent with a best friend, whose loneliness at our first encounter was so very much like my own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vote for INDIAN GOLD <\/strong>at shabbatgrouptimes@gmail.com<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n IN THE DESERT WINDS<\/p>\n\n\n\n SUKHOVEY<\/p>\n\n\n\n She watched as the twisting whirlwind of sand roared closer to her village.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sukhovey turned her eyes from the horrific sight and let out a sob. She was a prophetess\u2014the <\/em>prophetess. She’d known this was coming for months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But it was so much more awful now.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon’t worry,\u201d Zephyr whispered. \u201cIt’ll be all right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey’re all going to die,\u201d Sukhovey rasped. \u201cI should have tried harder to convince them\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ocotillo, sitting on the sand beside them, snapped, \u201cYou did <\/em>try. It’s their own faults they re-fused to listen. If they had read the Scroll, they would realize that He is real, and they would trust. It is they who have sent themselves to their deaths. Not you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey don’t have<\/em> the Scroll, Ocotillo,\u201d Arroyo said gloomily. \u201cNo one has seen it for centuries. We <\/em>only know about it because of Zephyr’s Gift of Knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf only we had the scroll,\u201d Zephyr whispered hoarsely. \u201cThen we could bring the world back to the way it should be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The darkness that always came with visions suddenly flooded Sukhovey’s eyes. Light pierced through the dark, and there was the Scroll. Its light filled the world, and children laughed and lambs played and the birds sang for joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Suddenly Sukhovey knew, as the vision faded\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n They had to find the Scroll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n * * *<\/p>\n\n\n\n OCOTILLO<\/p>\n\n\n\n It had been three weeks since Sukhovey had received the vision instructing them to find the scroll. Ocotillo kept his fingers curled tightly around the pommel of his sword\u2014tucked away in its sheath\u2014at all times. The Scroll had been hidden by the Enemy centuries ago. The world was filled with darkness. There was no more love. There was only hate and destruction and war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Enemy had not a fraction of the power of I Am<\/em>, but he was cunning. Ocotillo knew that the Scroll would not be unguarded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The freezing night wind battered him, but Ocotillo gritted his teeth against it. He was on night watch. He needed to be vigilant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Especially when we reach the Enemy’s Territory.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n When everyone had awoken the next day, they ate bread made from ground mesquite pods for breakfast and set off on their journey once again. They stopped only once, just before nightfall, to set up camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ocotillo drew his sword and sharpened it on his whetstone. The air was growing cool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He was beginning to sheath his sword when he saw Sukhovey stumble and clutch at her head, her eyes glazing over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He knew that look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She’s having a vision.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/em>As he watched, her eyes cleared, and she cried, \u201cOcotillo, behind you<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ocotillo spun, sword in hand, as a huge, wolf-like creature leaped at him, teeth bared, frothing at the mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He ducked and it smashed into the ground behind him, its skull cracking when it hit the sandstone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ocotillo knew that creature was only one of the many to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have arrived.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n * * *<\/p>\n\n\n\n ZEPHYR<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zephyr knew many things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of them was that this forest was filled with hatred and fear and death. A forest created by the Enemy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She shuddered in the freezing air\u2014so different from her beloved desert home\u2014as she and her friends trekked through the forest, Ocotillo with his sword drawn, Sukhovey braced for another vision. The trees seemed to whisper horrible thoughts to them, thoughts of hate and fury and darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A sound came from above\u2014a cooooo<\/em>. Zephyr instinctively looked up. The forest had been completely silent until then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A pure white dove drifted down from the dark sky and landed on Zephyr’s arm. She gazed at it, enchanted. It had sky-blue eyes and legs that seemed to be made of pure gold. How its colors contrasted with the dark forest around them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n This dove was special indeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It tilted its head and cooed <\/em>again, and then climbed up her arm to quietly perch on her shoulder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The gray trees gradually began to thin, and a massive cave came into view. The dove let out a quiet noise that sounded like a warning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zephyr drew in a quiet breath. Being near the cavern felt wrong. <\/em>It made her sick, and she wanted to run just at the sight of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ocotillo slipped forward, hand on his sword, and grimaced. \u201cWell, then. I suppose now we know we’re here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The four of them held each others’ gazes for a moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And then they slipped into the cavern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n * * *<\/p>\n\n\n\n ARROYO<\/p>\n\n\n\n To no one’s surprise, the cavern was much more terrifying on the inside than the outside. Arroyo was grateful for his sister’s new pet dove\u2014it somehow sensed whenever danger was near and would let out three sharp, quick coos<\/em>. In this way, they always managed to avoid whatever was there. He guessed that I Am <\/em>Himself had sent it\u2014who else had such power?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ocotillo walked stiffly beside Arroyo, his steps small and tense. Arroyo knew that Ocotillo would be responsible for protecting them if needed because of his skill with the sword\u2014a heavy weight to bear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Knowing Ocotillo, if anything happened to one of his friends, he would never forgive himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arroyo’s stomach roiled. He peered at the darkness ahead of them. A small light shone from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Scroll!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n He stepped forward quickly, excitement filling him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And then a red dragon with seven heads flew out at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ocotillo raced toward it, sword drawn. \u201cGet out of the way!\u201d The dove shot from Zephyr’s shoulder and flew up to a notch in the wall. It stuck its head in and came out with a heavy-looking brass key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It dropped the key in Zephyr’s hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She dove to the box and unlocked it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Scroll flew out of the box and engulfed the dragon in light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ocotillo lay stone-still.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He had sacrificed himself to save everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arroyo clenched his teeth at the sight of his dead friend. Behind him, Sukhovey let out a sob.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n But at least Ocotillo’s death had not been in vain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have won.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Vote for IN THE DESERT WINDS <\/strong>at shabbatgrouptimes@gmail.com<\/a>! A4<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n SURROUNDED BY THE CITY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once upon a time, there was a big forest. It had lots of trees and they were all friends. They lived in the middle of a giant city, but they did not care because they had a special sign that said “Protected Area.” It was for the animals and the trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But one day, the city people came. They pulled the signs out of the dirt and said, “We’re going to build more big buildings.” The construction workers came with big trucks. And then the workers started to cut the trees down by turning on the chainsaws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The trees started shaking their leaves to say STOP! The construction workers came over and said, “What’s the problem?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The trees responded and said, “You’re trying to cut us down! That’s the problem.” They asked to talk to the boss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The boss came over and he looked very serious. He said, “We have to finish the city right here.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The trees were so sad. They didn’t want to be cut down. The trees said, “NO WE WERE HERE FIRST! But we have a great idea. Instead of chopping us down, you should just build treehouses!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The boss thought about it and he said, “Hey, that is a great idea!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n So they didn’t cut down the trees. They built the whole city up in the branches. The trees were grateful that they didn’t get cut down. And the people were very happy because they had never lived in treehouses before. And everyone lived happily ever after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vote for SURROUNDED BY THE CITY <\/strong>at shabbatgrouptimes@gmail.-com<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n THE PLANTED PRAYER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I stand before an emerald sea of grass; the opal glint of the sun shines on its face radiantly. Sprinkled abroad is a prism of colors\u2014amethyst, garnet, topaz, quartz, and sapphire\u2014all moving perfectly and gracefully in a pure breeze. Like a breath of heaven, the wind tickles the grass and it sways as tranquilly as dancers in a ballet. Far beyond, a slate wave threatens to crash down on me, to overcome me in my haze, but there it lies: placid, still, majestic even. Everything aligned in a perfect harmony of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Music fills my ears in a sweet splendor. I search diligently for the sound, discovering the melody from an elegant nightingale, fluttering with its bold amber chest on full display, its joyful song echoing through the meadow. I stand in complete awe and wonder. How could a place like this exist in a world so blackened and terrible? It is truly as though I\u2019ve been transported to another realm entirely. A garden, a complete paradise, hidden away from the harrowing noise in the reeds beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I follow the nightingale in its flight. It lands nimbly on a branch belonging to a strong oak tree. The tree is laced with intricate patterns in its bark, its verdant leaves resting atop it like a crown. Directly beneath the nightingale, a doe and her two young, spotted fawns traipse close by me, grazing as they go. The sight takes me by surprise. Normally I would expect them to flee, but no\u2014here they live serene in a freedom many have never gotten to experience. Tears well up in my eyes. Who would dare to cover such a glorious creation with the mundane pursuits of our own meager human desires?<\/p>\n\n\n\n I drop down to my knees in the middle of the dazzling wildflowers and peaceful residents of the meadow. In my pocket I find a perfectly folded chamoisee envelope containing a single, minuscule mustard seed. I put the seed between my index finger and thumb and hold it up to be silhouetted against the azure sky and cotton-like clouds. I take in a breath and begin to dent the earth using only my bare hand. It takes but a minute to sift through the velvety soil. Once formed, I gently place the mustard seed in its new, cavernous hole. Lifting a silent prayer, I cover the little seed with the rich ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I stand and take a step back, imagining. My eyes take hold of the vibrant scene before me and I return my gaze down to the mound where the single mustard seed lies. One day, this seed will grow into a beautiful tree at the center of this sacred garden, and it will spread, wildflowers blooming to the far reaches of the earth so that everyone can experience the true beauty of creation. That was the silent prayer\u2014small but hopeful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vote for THE PLANTED PRAYER <\/strong>at shabbatgrouptimes@gmail.com<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n VROOM! WHOOSH! ROAR!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moonie stretched and flexed his claws, his green eyes sparkling in the sun. Mars, his tabby brother, was laid out on the rug, white paws clasped over his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMars,\u201d Moonie mewed, \u201cHey, Fatso.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The big tabby, uncurling his paws from his face, blinked up at the black cat. \u201cWhat do you want? I\u2019m trying to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s all you do,\u201d said Moonie, and with a sudden motion, stood up and arched his back. His pink tongue stuck straight out of his mouth. With a light bound, he leapt to the floor, his black paws landing lightly on the rug and sniffed Mars\u2019s back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mars rolled over and swatted Moonie away. \u201cCut it out! I\u2019m trying to . . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n All at once, a rumble sounded, and a moment later, a black object with wheels and a long handle rolled out into the room. Mars, with a heavy flip, was back on his feet. \u201cWhat\u2019s that thing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moonie went cautiously up to the big thing and sniffed. It smelled like dust, fur, and dirt. It had a clear tube on the front, in which much hair and dirt was gathered. A red switch on the top read On<\/em> and Off<\/em> in white letters. \u201cI don\u2019t know. Maybe it\u2019s some new food contraption.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A long rope-like thing began to be un-wound from the side of it. It grew longer and longer as it slid across the floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, what you make of that? It looks like a snake,\u201d and Mars joined his brother near the wall. \u201cI saw a snake once when I was a kitten. It was dead though; the farmer had beaten it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s a snake. I think it\u2019s the tail of something,\u201d said Moonie, craning his neck to see on the other side of the object.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, you think it\u2019s another cat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve never seen a cat that looks like that before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMe neither. Maybe its tail is just really long.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI would be forever falling over mine if I had a tail like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s rather insulting! It might be able to hear you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, but where are its ears?\u201d and Moonie looked again. \u201cI don\u2019t see anything that resembles them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMaybe it hasn\u2019t any,\u201d and Mars sighed, as if bearing this awful realization was too much<\/p>\n\n\n\n for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moonie walked up again and rubbed his head against the side of the Thing, purring softly. The object made no response but only sat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt isn\u2019t very friendly,\u201d he said in disgust, \u201cThat\u2019s a nice way to greet a new friend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMaybe it\u2019s just shy. You were like that when you first came.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, I at least mewed. It does nothing,\u201d and Moonie growled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All at once, the Thing gave a whoosh and a great roaring sound issued forth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGreat Cats!\u201d Mars\u2019s tail grew twice as big.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s attacking us! Get under cover!\u201d and Moonie hurled himself onto the kitchen chair, his eyes wide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy were you so insulting?\u201d Mars moaned. \u201cYou\u2019ve made It angry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, I didn\u2019t know It was so sensitive,\u201d and Moonie glared at his brother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Thing began to slide across the floor, the wheels creaking a little. The black rope followed along behind it. All at once, the Thing came up with a jerk, then turned around and came towards the chair where the two cats were sitting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t right!\u201d Moonie howled. \u201cWe\u2019ve done It no harm and It\u2019s attacking us!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Thing bumped against the leg of the kitchen chair, jolting it so violently Moonie was forced to dig his claws into the wood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t think It\u2019s a cat! They aren\u2019t this loud!\u201d Mars hissed and swiped at the Thing with a white paw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLook at the tail! I think the tail is steering it!\u201d Moonie watched, his eyes round and black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt must be. The Thing is controlled by it. When the tail runs out, the Thing turns around!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019d hate for someone to constantly be pulling my tail,\u201d said Moonie, curling his own around his paws, \u201cbut I suppose one can differ in opinions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vote for VROOM! WHOOSH! ROAR! <\/strong>at shabbatgrouptimes@gmail.com<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n LIKE A ROSE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n My thoughts consider me beautiful, like a rose,<\/p>\n\n\n\n And remind me of my charm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My heart finds me pleasant, like a rose,<\/p>\n\n\n\n And thinks little of my harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They do not see my thorns impale, like a rose,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The pain under the covers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They do not notice my prideful hue, like a rose,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Overshadowing all others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My soul longs to be humble, like a dandelion,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Simple, common, and quiet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My inner being hopes to hide, like a dandelion,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other flora being admired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My hope is to see others grow, like a rose,<\/p>\n\n\n\n All their dreams come true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My joy is to watch them bloom, like a rose,<\/p>\n\n\n\n My love here for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vote for LIKE A ROSE <\/strong>at shabbatgrouptimes@gmail.com<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n THE BABY WHO FLEW TO ANTARCTICA<\/p>\n\n\n\n One day, Sally was gardening. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Her baby sister was sitting next to her picking flowers while Sally planted pumpkin seeds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Their mom had died from giving brith, and their dad had died from sadness. The baby was ten months old, and Sally was nine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just then, the baby (whose name was definitely not Beth, so don’t call her that) walked away from Sally for a moment, and then Sally glanced up at the sky and she saw the baby whose name was definitely not Beth flying away! <\/p>\n\n\n\n She said, “Hey, baby! Isn’t that the way to Antarctica?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The baby, who couldn’t hear her, kept flying. Suddenly, Sally grew wings and began flying after the baby whose name was definitely not Beth. But Sally’s wings began to shrink, smaller and smaller. Then, they just disappeared–and then Sally fell. Then, she saw a giant bouncy house right under her, so she fell on that ad did not get hurt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The baby kept flying, and Sally was on the ground running. It took Sally one minute to run to Antartica, and when she got there, the baby said, looking at her watch, “What took you so long? I’ve been here for an hour!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Good for you,” said Sally. “Let’s go build an igloo to spend the night in.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Okay,” said the baby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once they were, they went inside. Sally said, “I’m hot. Turn on the air conditioning.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n “Okay,” said the baby, “here you go.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Soon, they went to sleep. In the morning, Sally said, “Let’s head back home.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “At 12:00 pm?” asked the baby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Well sure, it’s morning,” said Sally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Whatever,” said the baby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And so, they started back home, and on the way Sally said, “Hey, baby. I can’t see, can you?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The baby said, “Well, sure. I’m not colorblind.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sally said, “Let’s go back to our igloo.” So they went back to their igloo, and they found a fox sleeping in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Excuse me,” said Sally, “this is our igloo, so…”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Hey!” said a fox. “You woke up our baby, and now he’s crying!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Get out of here!” yelled the wolves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Why?” asked Sally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Because if you don’t, I’ll tear you to shreds,” said a fox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Okay bye,” said Sally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Okay don’t come back!” said the wolves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On their way back, the baby said, “Sally, my feet are cold.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sally said, “Okay, I know what will help. Walk on the snow.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally they got home, and saw their parents sitting on the steps. “Why were you gone for one hundred hours?” their parents asked. “You’re both grounded!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Good,” Sally said. “I’m worn out anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Vote for THE BABY WHO FLEW TO ANTARCTICA <\/strong>at shabbatgrouptimes@gmail.com!<\/p>\n\n\n\n EXCLUSIVE!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n YHWH’S PLAN<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Read this story by Merrilee Warren! (Please note that this is not an entry in the writing contest\u2014don’t vote for it!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The setting sun cast beautiful rays across the parking lot. Wren watched silently, the corners of her mouth turning up into a smile. The emerald on her necklace caught the sunlight and glittered knowingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She pressed her back to the wall of the community center. A loud shout from behind and\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWREN!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Six-year-old Sophie raced up to her, arms waving wildly. \u201cYou’re under arrest!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy?\u201d Wren cried. \u201cWhat did I do?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sophie stood up straight and tall, accidentally tumbling over a fallen branch, and stood back up. \u201cYou murdered someone!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wren gasped. \u201cI <\/em>don’t remember that!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou murdered all the bank guards and then stole all the money!\u201d Sophie was adamant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah!\u201d Sophie grabbed Wren’s arm. \u201cAnd you’re going to prison!\u201d Wren nodded seriously. As soon as Sophie had turned her back, however, Wren slipped away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHEY!\u201d Sophie took off after Wren and, as Wren was catching her breath, tackled her to the ground. Sophie’s little sister Olivia joined in. Before long they were grabbing handfuls of mulch and dirt and pouring them on Wren’s head and down the back of her shirt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wren gritted her teeth. The Passover dinner was going to be in any minute! She couldn’t go in looking like this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDinnertime!\u201d The call came from inside. Wren stood up shakily and furiously yanked dirt and mulch out of her hair. She felt like she had just gone swimming in mud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Inside, her friend Jasmine offered her a brush, and Wren quickly brushed the dirt out of her hair. Thanking Jasmine, she turned to sit. Her necklace caught her eye as she lowered herself into the chair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her emerald was missing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wren grabbed at the chain in a panic. That emerald was the most valuable thing she owned! How could she have lost it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n It must have fallen off while the little kids were tackling her\u2014Wren raced back outside and searched desperately through the grass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She had no luck. Dejected, Wren went inside to make herself a plate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Throughout the rest of the evening, Wren searched, employing several people to help her, including Jasmine and her brothers. No one found it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, Wren’s family, the last remaining people at the community center that night, had to leave, and with a sinking heart, Wren realized that she was not going to see her emerald again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n * * *<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next morning, a poor man sneaked to the community center dumpster to rummage through it in hope of finding a bit of food for his family. With no luck, he turned sadly away and was about to leave when a glint in the grass caught his eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He bent down to pick it up. It was a small, perfect green emerald, shaped like a heart. Hope blossomed inside him, and he ran to find someone to buy it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The man ran back out of the jeweler’s shop in joy. He clutched one thousand dollars. He could buy food for his family. If he was careful, he could make this money last for a whole month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Several days later, he bought a nice suit and found a job interview. He got the job and finally had enough to rent an apartment for his family. They had all the food they could eat and a lovely home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And somewhere miles away, sitting on her bed, Wren felt as though something had happened, something special, that had helped someone in a way she couldn’t imagine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because it had.<\/p>\n\n\n\n * * *<\/p>\n\n\n\n The moral of this story is that YHWH always has a plan for every-thing. Even though it feels like He is punishing you when you lose some-thing that is valuable to you, He has a plan for it. As my wise friend Ember likes to say, \u201cThere is no luck\u2014only blessings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Author’s Note: <\/em>This story is almost entirely true. The first part is exactly what happened to me and my emerald at Mr. Scott Harwell’s Passover gathering, although I changed the names. The second part is what I prayed would happen to my emerald. I would like to thank Gabby for the idea to write this story. Even just writing this story, my spirits lifted after the grief from the loss of my emerald. I realized that it would not be fair to blame any one person\u2014not even \u201cSophie\u201d and \u201cOlivia\u201d\u2014especially if YHWH really does have a plan for it. I hope you enjoyed my story\u2014and that maybe it helped you, too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n SHABBAT GROUP BIRTHDAY SECTION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Cora Ruth Kutcher: <\/strong>Turned 14 on April 3, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Laurel Elizabeth Tefft: <\/strong>Born on April 9, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mary Helen Kutcher: <\/strong>Turned 12 on April 10, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n John <\/strong>and David Warren: <\/strong>Turned 11 on April 16, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Editor’s Note: <\/em>Merrilee would like to sincerely apologize for forgetting to include the birthdays of Elijah Sans-ing<\/strong>, age 15, and Jonah Sansing, <\/strong>age 12. She would like to congratulate Elijah on his 15th<\/sup> birthday on March 18, and Jonah on his 12th<\/sup> birthday on March 25. (Please forgive her!) Do not forget to send in your birthday (and the age you will be turning) to shabbatgrouptimes@gmail.com<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n EXCLUSIVE!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Warren family recently went on a week-long camping trip to Kentucky to see the Ark Encounter, a life-size replica of Noah’s ark. We will be interviewing one of them (they have chosen to remain anonymous and is definitely NOT Merrilee) about their trip on the next page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>How was your trip?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>It went well! We got to see the Ark. It was HUGE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>Cool! What did you bring on your trip?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>Um…wood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>…wood?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>Yes. Lots of wood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>Why did you bring lots of wood?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>To burn it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>Why did you want to burn it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>So we could also burn our marshmallows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>Excuse me?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>Have you never been camping before?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>No…but it sounds really weird. So you basically pack a bunch of wood so you can burn it, so that you can burn your marshmallows?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>You also bring a toothbrush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>Sounds like a weird sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>You get used to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>What did you do with your pets? Did you bring them with you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>No. You have to get someone to take care of them for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>Why not just take care of them yourself? Q: <\/strong>Why don’t you just stay home, then? <\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>Camping is fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>I thought you said that all you do on a camping trip is torch wood and marshmallows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>I didn’t say that’s ALL you do. That’s just what they show on the pictures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>All right. What else do you do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>Well, you go hiking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>What’s hiking?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>You walk on a long trail in the woods, get lost, yell at the map, eat too many granola bars, and find your way back to your campsite three hours later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>Why not skip the getting-lost bit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>That’s the best part!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>Remind me never to go camping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>The FIRST time, you pack way too much food and a raccoon ends up raiding your trash can, but after that it’s fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>I’ll pass, thanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>Your loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Editor’s Note: <\/em>A $0.00000000000001 reward is offered to anyone who manages to catch the raccoon who raided our trash (okay, yes, the raccoon is in Kentucky, but that’s your problem, buddy).<\/p>\n\n\n\n AD Would you like to read Superdude and the Amazing Heroes <\/em>and\/or Superdude’s Revenge<\/em> (short comedies by Merrilee Warren)? Email shabbatgrouptimes@gmail.com<\/a> and we will send either one (or both!) to you for free! We hope you like them! (They are said to be quite funny, but they are too long to in-clude in Shabbat Group Times.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n BREAKING NEWS! David Warren, <\/strong>age 11, claims that he has a \u201csecret stash that John would love\u201d. He claims that his secret stash contains things such as empty water bottles, dead batteries, \u201cbook’s I’ve already read\u201d, \u201cboogers I collected from John\u201d, used socks, and tassels with no blue. We are a bit confused. If you for some reason desire to purchase something from David’s \u201csecret stash\u201d, contact shabbatgrouptimes@gmail.com<\/a> today. (You can also submit articles, prayer requests, interviews, birthdays, and more to Shabbat Group Times. In fact, please do!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/strong>WRITING CONTEST ENTRIES<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cSoon,\u201d Alice always assured me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Arroyo raced to the wooden box in front of them. Zephyr and Sukhovey followed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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“Good idea,” said the baby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The young girl marched Wren to a large dumpster and shoved her behind it. \u201cAND STAY THERE!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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A: <\/strong>Because you’re camping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/strong>DAVID WARREN HAS ‘SECRET STASH’<\/p>\n\n\n\n