כי מלאכיו יצוה לך לשמורך בכל-דרכיך (ki malachav yitzaveh lach lishmorcha b'chol deerachecha), ה' ישמור צאתך ובואך מעתה ועד עולם (Hashem yishmor tzeitcha U' voecha mei' ata v'ad olam.) Just as the מלאכי השרת (malachei hasharet) watched over you in this world, I pray that they are guiding you now too. These short 2 lines that we and Aba and Zeidy sing every Friday night, Zev, Dani and I sang on our mirpeset in Ramat Bet Shemesh at Chani's Simchat Bat.

I too was planning on speaking of Chani as our first Sabra, first born in Israel, and as the Chana Liora who she really was, but Halana said it better than I.

וכל החיים יודוך סלה (V'chol Hachayim Yoducha selah) - We thank Hashem 3 times a day for life - each life - החיים (Hachayim). The Gemara says that he who saves one life, it is as if he saved an entire world. To a parent, each child is literally an entire world.

And to us, our Chani was an entire world - and more. Each time Chani would eat something and make the bracha with me of שהכל נהיה בדברו (shehakol nehiyeh b'dvaro), I would pray inside that it should be- everything בדברו (b'dvaro) - in its place and as it should be. My Chani - now you are finally in a place where everything is בדברו (b'dvaro). No IV's, and no shots, no metaports, and no tubies. I think that now you are in a place where Nava and Bracha Naomi have already invited you to play, like only you know how. Shmuli Mandelbaum and I used to talk of how we would G-d willing dance at Bracha Naomi and Chani's weddings together. I hope you are dancing together with Nava now.

The truth is that these medical procedures and difficulties did not bother Chani. Chani taught me how to appreciate every moment in life. She was so good-natured and happy, that for her going to the hospital was like going to school. I remember that even at age 1 and a half at Hadassa Hospital in Yerushalayim, Chani had to have an IV jabbed into her arm at around 11 at night once. After many tries at stabbing and jabbing to get the IV in and much crying, Chani turned up to the nurse and gave her a kiss. This is who Chani was. She took everything in stride and with a smile.

The Torah tells us ואברהם זקן בא בימים (v'avraham zakein ba bayamim). What is the meaning of בא בימים (ba bayamim)? Avraham did not count his days, rather he made his days count. And so did Chani Banani. Chani accomplished more in her short life than many do in an entire lifetime. All of the Chesed and tehillim, and shemirat halashon, and mitzvoth, and tzedaka that Chani inspired people really around the world, was really unbelievable. Chani, a 3 year old girl, found a way to unite people from all different backgrounds, sects, hashkafot, and ages. Chani taught us of the importance of unity and love between fellow people.

Chani was my mitzvah girl. From a young age she loved kissing mezuzot, going to shul with me and kissing the torah and aron kodesh, having a lot and a little of Kidduash as she liked to say, davening with me on the way home from shul, she was the one to put the Shabbos candles in, jumping on her bed as she would excitedly say Shema.

Chani was fun-loving and loved fun. She loved to make up nicknames for everyone and the names seem to stick. She coined Eli's nickname of Eli Belly Booba, and Ahappy boy. Chani loved and adored Eli Belly and would always make sure that when she would drop anything even if we were miles away at the hospital we had to pick it up right away so Eli wouldn't pick it up and choke on it ,and she even named her baby doll Ema Rosenfield. And of course, she herself was Chani Banani. And I was so proud to introduce myself to people and be known in the hospital in Israel as Chani Banani's Aba. Chani especially enjoyed going to Bubby's to get her nails done, and eating Bubby's jello. She had a unique appreciation for nature which I have not seen anywhere. Even at 1 years old she would notice and love each bird's chirp and love to feed the pigeons in the park.

I always carry around my 2 favorite stories that shared with Chani:

The first happened about 1 year ago. Chani and I were walking out of the hospital in New York one day, and I noticed that it had started to drizzle outside. I mentioned to Chani that it was raining a little. She turned up to me with the sweetest, purest look and exclaimed, "Baby Rain!". I just thought that that was one of the sweetest lines.

The second story happened a few months ago as Chani and I were walking together along the sidewalk on Main Street in Queens, New York. We came across one store, a barber shop, that had a bird cage in it. We first admired the birds through the window, and then decided to go inside and see and talk to the birds first hand. After playing with the birds, as we left the store and continued on our way down Main Street, Chani turned to me and said, "those birds are waiting to get their haircut!". I think that says it all.

And ultimately for me there was nothing in the world like a hug from Chani. I would cling to her as she clung to me. How I miss your hug Chani. I want to hug you forever. And after a hug or something Chani would just turn up to me and say, “Aba, I like your face”. Chani and I were very close as I think was very evident to anyone around. We had such a special bond and relationship. I cannot explain it. I was often the only one that could console Chani when needed and we also knew how to have fun and play and laugh and dance together. There was nothing like picking Lilach, Chani and Eli in my arms and singing Yachad Yachad.

We say רבה אמונתך מודה אני לפניך, מלך חי וקיים, שהחזרת בי נשמתי בחמלה (modeh ani lefanecha melech chai v' kayam shehechezarta bi nishnati b'chemla raba emunatecha). רבה אמונתך (raba emunatecha) means that Hashem's faith in us should grow. I believe that the message in this is that we pray that Hashem should have enough faith in us that we can reach these heights on our own. The heights of Torah and תפילה (tefilla) and unity that we were all able to reach through illness and tragedy - רבה אמונתך (raba emunatecha) - we pray that Hashem will have faith in us that we can do it even without leaders like Chani.

And I appeal to all of you today, and to all who have davened for Chani - please I beg you don't stop your tefillot and tehillim. In our year and a half, we have met and encountered in various hospitals many special children who are unfortunately sick and are in so much need of your tefillot. Chani would have wanted you to keep davening for her friends.

How could this happen to an innocent, precious pure 3-year old girl? And with so many around the world davening and doing mitzvoth for her? When went to the Kotel a couple of weeks ago, Lilach turned to me and told me that she put a note in the Kotel asking Hashem to make Chani feel better and have a refuah sheleima. This from a 5-year old girl? How do explain this now? The first answer is the bottom line — I don't know and nobody knows.

All I know is that מאת ה' היתה זאת, היא נפלאת בעינינו (me'et Hashem hayta zot hi niflaat b'eyneynu.) This is all part of Hashem `s plan and we don't always understand it.

As I think of the Kotel, I can't help but think of what Chani told me when we were there. I was trying to tear קריעה (kriah) at the kotel and my shirt didn't rip so Chani turned to me and said —Aba, use your kipa clip. And I did. And I thought of you Chani as I tore קריעה (kriah) with my kipa clip this morning. When we talked to Lilach about all of this a few days ago, we told her the same answer that 1 remember hearing from the father of Nachshon Wachsman after he was killed. We asked Lilach, if when she asks Aba and Ema for treats or for something— do Aba and Ema always say yes? Lilach answered “No, but I usually get it anyway”. Hashem does listen to our tefillot and he hears them, but sometimes the answer of a father is “No”.

And thirdly, and ultimately, I truly believe that all of the tefillot and mitzvoth allowed Chani a happy and pain-free life. I believe that her quality of life was blessed due to all of these good deeds. I mean, besides her hair, you would look at her and she was like every other child, running around and playing. Even the doctors could not explain it. What was inside her body and outside were 2 different people.

When we talked with Lilach a couple of days ago about all of this, she turned to Halana and said, “But Chani is my best friend.” And they were. I cannot stop thinking about how Lilach has lost her best friend. They loved getting dressed up together, playing mommy and baby, pushing their babies in their strollers, going on the swings, sharing a room, wearing matching Shabbos robes, and just laughing and laughing together as the ran circles around the house together.

I told Chani's doctor in the last few days that we have much to be thankful for and we need to all count our blessings. He looked at me like I was crazy, given the prognosis and situation Chani found herself.

I have הכרת הטוב (hakarat hatov) to Hashem for each step and for every day that we had with Chani. In the last few months, at each step along the way, at her 3rd birthday, on our trip to Israel, on a wonderful Shabbos when Savta and Zeidy visited. I said to Halana, thank G-d she and we got to enjoy this step.

I think that often in life it is easy to take the little things for granted.

Tonight, go home and kiss your kids good night and say מודה אני (modeh ani) with them in the morning with real meaning.

Chani made it to her 3rd birthday. It was such a joy and a highlight for her. She would hold up her 3 fingers and say I'm 3—I'm a big girl right? As she enjoyed and savored every bit of her cake, ice-cream and flowers.

We are so indebted to so many people for so many things over the past year. You our family and friends who have become like family have been there for us in ways we will never be able to repay. There is no way that I could list and thank each person, but you each know what you have done for us and meant to us and we say thank you. Aba and Ema, This has been heart wrenching for you, you were always by our side with love and care. And my mother said to me just a couple of weeks ago that my in-laws Mom and Dad are really מלאכים (malachim). There are no words. You show love for your children and grandchildren selflessly and would do anything for us. And you have. You took us in with smiles and love and never asked for anything in return but smiles and hugs. We thank all of you from the bottom of hearts for all that you have all shared with us and done for us and we hope that the way we will be able to repay your kindness will be through dancing at each others simchas in the future.

My love for Chani is never-ending and I don't know how I will go without another Chani hug or funny line or beautiful smile. I love you forever, Chani Banani.