The “Kohein Gadol” bangles tinkle on my wrist. The sound my daughter says she loves most

The bracelet on my right hand tinkles. I like to call it my “Kohein Gadol” bracelet, my very own paamonim and rimonim that tinkle like those in the Beis Hamikdash.

Mine are three interlinked bangles, purchased from in-flight duty-free shopping by my husband with El-Al points he wanted to use before they reached their expiration date. I like to wear it on Shabbos; the tri-colored gold matches easily with any earrings or necklace. As I walk or wash dishes or serve they clink against each other and chime like bells.

One Shabbos afternoon, at our Ladies’ Tehillim group, I hear a faintly familiar sound. I trace the source, and behold, a regular from our group is wearing the exact same bracelet!

“El Al duty-free?” I ask her.

“How’d you know?” She’s amazed.

Smiling, I hold out my arm. “I recognized that sound from somewhere.”

“Yeah, they do kind of let people know when you’re around. Sometimes I feel like I shouldn’t wear them to shul, they might disturb people davening.”

Later, we’re setting up for Seudah Shlishis, my oldest daughter and I. I’m still mulling over that conversation.

“Do you think the sound of my bracelet disturbs people in shul? Maybe I shouldn’t wear them on Shabbos anymore?” I ask her.

“Ima, I love that sound, don’t ever take them off,” she says, “that sound says ‘My Ima is here to take care of me and everything will be okay.’ It’s the most beautiful sound in the world.”

One year ago.

She doesn’t feel well. We run to doctors, to the emergency room. She is weak, fainting, her pallor white, almost green. They give her fluids, blood transfusions. Her heart rate is too fast. They run some scans. She is not okay, they rush her into ICU, drain fluid from around her heart. And then they tell us she is sick. My beautiful, young, newly married daughter has cancer.