My name is Shira. But it’s not Shira. It’s actually Tzivya Chaya Liba. I didn’t like that name very much, and I have a feeling my parents didn’t either. They wanted to name me after my great-grandmother Tzivia. She used to go to all the nursing homes and sing for them and make them happy. So, while they called me by her full name in Hebrew, my English name is Shira.
In elementary school I even told all of my teachers that my name is Shira. Until PTA when my mother showed up and saw my name written as Shira in Hebrew. She demanded that they call me Tzvia. Until next year, when I told the next grade teacher my name is Shira.
It’s funny, though, because I think I’m much more of a Shira! One of my favorite parts of my job as a teacher is to compose and sing along with my students. We have songs for all of our procedures in the classroom, for learning letters and reading, and even math! In that way I feel I channel my great-grandmother’s essence the most. Even if I’m not always a Tzivya Chaya Liba, I’m definitely a Shira, and continuing to make people happy.
