Vacaville Valedictorian’s Speech Saved
In observance of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, 18-year-old Carolyn Fine will not use electricity, even that which powers the microphone. Nor will she ride in a car to her graduation; instead, she’ll walk to the ceremony.
The Vacaville High School 2011 valedictorian will graduate Thursday with the rest of her classmates, but she will not stand before the crowd to give the usual graduation speech.
To accommodate Fine’s observance of Shavuot — a two-day biblical holiday commemorating the giving of the Torah to the Jews at Mount Sinai — her speech was recorded in a sound booth at the high school and will be played Thursday before the crowd.
“I was nervous about what to do,” Fine said, referring to the weeks leading up to graduation. She believed she wouldn’t be able to give a speech at all. That’s when the high school’s administration stepped in. “They really took good care of me. They’ve been very understanding.”
Fine’s observance of Jewish religious practices has been a gradual process, one she said was up to her, but supported by her family.
“The more I learn about the Jewish religion, the more connected I feel,” she said. “I’ve realized I can’t live without it.”
Recently, she has started wearing skirts and always keeps her elbows and collarbone covered. She added that there is a lot to remember.
“The more I learn, the more aware I am of what I don’t know,” she said. “It’s a very deep religion.”
Having Chabad of Solano County locate in Vacaville made it easier for her and her family to observe Jewish customs, she said.
“The closer the community is to you, the easier it is to be observant and the more you get out of it,” she said.
Rabbi Chaim Zaklos with Chabad of Solano County said he is pleased with Fine’s decision to observe the holiday.
“It’s great to see that, on her own, she’s standing by her faith,” he said. “Having a local Chabad means the community is embracing the faith in a real way.”
This summer, Fine will spend two months in Israel at Machon Alte, a summer program for women that offers Hebrew classes on history, prayer and spirituality, she said.
When she returns, Fine will attend Stern College for Women in New York with a plan to major in mathematics, her favorite subject.
“I’m leaning toward teaching — that’s what I can see myself doing,” she said. “A dream job would be to work for NASA.”
Right now, she’s looking forward to receiving her high school diploma.
“It’s a relief to graduate,” she said. “I’ve had a great experience and met lots of great people, but it’s time to move on and see what else is out there.”
mother
Many of our 0WN right here in C.H. should learn from her!
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omg this is crazy! im going through a very similar thing!!! best of luck to you!!!
wishing
i wish our girls here in crown heights would appreciate the richness of what they already have
to the author
You go girl!!!! i wish you only the best of luck in the future in both yiddishkeit and academic/family sucess!
anonymous
good for her! what a dugma chaya!
Wow
You are a fine example for other jewish kids. All the best to you and good luck in the future.
BTW, I also like math but I would not want to work for NASA (Government controlled = big waste agency). Best thing to do is get your math degree and work for a private sector company where you get better pay and will have more impact.
Good YomTov and congrats on the Graduation.
CS
Yay Carolyn!!! We are soo proud. You continue to inspire us and set a shining example!!!
R. Gould
Way to go, May H”B bless you in all your endeavors.
hv
whiles we congratulate her, we should also give blessings to the school for allowing this to happen.
Evelyn
…and we should also remember that turning on a prerecorded speech on Shvuot is not halacha’dig. I would hope the girls in Crown Heights, if faced with a choice like this would just stay home and forgo the graduation and the speech. Our people have given up much more than this for Shabbos. What a great zchus for this girl who doesn’t know any better.