Post by Delilah on Sept 1, 2008 1:02:38 GMT -5
Full Name: Ayala Lucia Cordova
Newsie name: Delilah
Name origin: See history
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Birthplace: Cordoba, Spain
Currently Living: Around and about New York
History: Spain was not the greatest place for jewish people when in 1492 {columbus sailed the ocean blue (because)}the spanish inquisition shed its shadow on the jews. Many were killed or fled but the Cordova family merely hid. They took their traditions, their religion, and all of their ways into hiding with them. They survived the inquisition and lived as spanish people among spaniards all the while practicing and studying judiasm when they were alone in thier homes.
Ayala was born into this family many years later and although they were still not openly jewish they had a system set in place for their family. The children were taught of their heritage from the moment they understood any words onwards until they were grown and once they reached an age where they could be sure not to let anything slip they would be told their Hebrew names. The little girl {known to her friends as lucia}'s time however came before anyone was expecting it.
A boat was leaving from spain to america and the Cordovas had managed to secure a place on it, but it was just that: a place. one single space. Friends told them that zacharia should take the place on the boat and go to new york where he could get a good job and send money back but he just shook his head. "Lo." was all that he would reply. His mind was already made up.
Lucia was wrapped in blankets to protect her from the chill of crossing the seas as the wide eyed six year old said goodbye to her parents on the docks of spain. Her mother placed a long thin gold chain with a gold star of david pendent on it over her head and tucked it into her clothing before giving her another gift: a small handheld siddur with the page for teffilat haderech or prayer for the road folded down so she could find it easily. Her mother gave her a hug and said in hebrew " baalat teul batuach. have a safe trip." A her father leaned over to give her his hug he scooped her up as if she was a young child again and held her tightly whispering in her ear, "at shomeret et ha ema shelach, baalat teul batuach. baalat teul batuach, ayala lucia cordova." He placed her into the ground and she held the prayerbook close to her heart. "Ayala" she repeated and smiled at them before she was ushered onto the boat and left spain forever.
Ayala arrived in new york still clutching the siddur to her chest. She had read the prayer for safe journeys over and over again on the way. Her parent had set up a place for her to stay and so she lived in a tenement with a Woman and her baby twins. She stayed at home all day for the first year until when she was seven she began to go to her neighbors house in the afternoons for hebrew classes with a few of the other jewish kids in the neighborhood.
Ayala was very persuasive and during snack-time she convinced another student to trade their piece of candy for her apple but was told on by one of the other students. When the teacher found out she dragged ayala to a time-out all the while muttering about how "the girl is sly, tricky and dangerous like delilah" and that if anyone "falls for her sweet lies then they're as doomed as samson."
After that, the kids began to call her delilah until it even caught on the teachers and soon after that she just became known as delilah but every night she would say her name once to herself "Ayala Lucia Cordova" because she knew she would never replace it.
She grew up for a year or two with her foster family but soon money became scarce. Ayala began selling newspapers to earn a little but of money to help keep the roof over her foster familys heads and to feed the twins. She realized how much of a burden she was when the man of the house was fired from his job and they literally had no money so she started coming home less and less until she only stopped by every once in awhile to drop off what little extra money she managed to make by their door.
Hair Color: Brown
Hair Style: Wavy
Eye Color: Green
Skin Color: Olive
Height: 5"4
Weight: 152
Clothing Style:
Items owned: Necklace from her parents and a siddur/prayerbook from her parents as well
Troubles:
Fears:
Siblings:
Parents:
Zacharias {Zacharia} Cordova
Marnina {Miriam} Cordova
Newsie name: Delilah
Name origin: See history
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Birthplace: Cordoba, Spain
Currently Living: Around and about New York
History: Spain was not the greatest place for jewish people when in 1492 {columbus sailed the ocean blue (because)}the spanish inquisition shed its shadow on the jews. Many were killed or fled but the Cordova family merely hid. They took their traditions, their religion, and all of their ways into hiding with them. They survived the inquisition and lived as spanish people among spaniards all the while practicing and studying judiasm when they were alone in thier homes.
Ayala was born into this family many years later and although they were still not openly jewish they had a system set in place for their family. The children were taught of their heritage from the moment they understood any words onwards until they were grown and once they reached an age where they could be sure not to let anything slip they would be told their Hebrew names. The little girl {known to her friends as lucia}'s time however came before anyone was expecting it.
A boat was leaving from spain to america and the Cordovas had managed to secure a place on it, but it was just that: a place. one single space. Friends told them that zacharia should take the place on the boat and go to new york where he could get a good job and send money back but he just shook his head. "Lo." was all that he would reply. His mind was already made up.
Lucia was wrapped in blankets to protect her from the chill of crossing the seas as the wide eyed six year old said goodbye to her parents on the docks of spain. Her mother placed a long thin gold chain with a gold star of david pendent on it over her head and tucked it into her clothing before giving her another gift: a small handheld siddur with the page for teffilat haderech or prayer for the road folded down so she could find it easily. Her mother gave her a hug and said in hebrew " baalat teul batuach. have a safe trip." A her father leaned over to give her his hug he scooped her up as if she was a young child again and held her tightly whispering in her ear, "at shomeret et ha ema shelach, baalat teul batuach. baalat teul batuach, ayala lucia cordova." He placed her into the ground and she held the prayerbook close to her heart. "Ayala" she repeated and smiled at them before she was ushered onto the boat and left spain forever.
Ayala arrived in new york still clutching the siddur to her chest. She had read the prayer for safe journeys over and over again on the way. Her parent had set up a place for her to stay and so she lived in a tenement with a Woman and her baby twins. She stayed at home all day for the first year until when she was seven she began to go to her neighbors house in the afternoons for hebrew classes with a few of the other jewish kids in the neighborhood.
Ayala was very persuasive and during snack-time she convinced another student to trade their piece of candy for her apple but was told on by one of the other students. When the teacher found out she dragged ayala to a time-out all the while muttering about how "the girl is sly, tricky and dangerous like delilah" and that if anyone "falls for her sweet lies then they're as doomed as samson."
After that, the kids began to call her delilah until it even caught on the teachers and soon after that she just became known as delilah but every night she would say her name once to herself "Ayala Lucia Cordova" because she knew she would never replace it.
She grew up for a year or two with her foster family but soon money became scarce. Ayala began selling newspapers to earn a little but of money to help keep the roof over her foster familys heads and to feed the twins. She realized how much of a burden she was when the man of the house was fired from his job and they literally had no money so she started coming home less and less until she only stopped by every once in awhile to drop off what little extra money she managed to make by their door.
Hair Color: Brown
Hair Style: Wavy
Eye Color: Green
Skin Color: Olive
Height: 5"4
Weight: 152
Clothing Style:
Items owned: Necklace from her parents and a siddur/prayerbook from her parents as well
Troubles:
Fears:
Siblings:
Parents:
Zacharias {Zacharia} Cordova
Marnina {Miriam} Cordova