Choice
REBECCA
Jacob lit the Hanukkah candles for both of us.
Ever since our parents left for the States for work, it's been just the two of us here. I was in my last year of high school at the time, and Jacob was already working, so we both stayed here and Jacob took on dad's role in some ways, including when it came to leading the religious ceremonies in our house. Once I finished high school I moved out, first to do my one year of national service, then college. However, I still usually came home for Shabbat and holidays.
My college was an all-girls religious college that combined religious studies with academic studies. It was a rigorous all-day program that left little free time, and vacation days were a rarity. That was part of the reason why I didn't go home very often. Traveling would cut into the precious little time I had for doing homework and studying for tests.