The following letter was written by a girl who attended Oorah’s Discover U summer program for post-high school students and will be spending the upcoming year in seminary in Israel thanks to an Oorah scholarship:
This is to thank the generous donors who have made this dream a possibility. It’s hard to imagine that less than seven years ago, I would have never even wanted to learn in Israel, never would have wanted to live a frum life and couldn’t imagine leaving home for a year, to travel to the unknown.
As I begin to pack to embark on my adventure, I have some time to reflect. I was fortunate enough to attend the Siyum HaShas earlier this month. It gave me pause. The last siyum was before I even attended Yeshiva. I had no idea what the gathering was about, what it represented and never imagined I would be in the midst of such a huge celebration. Learning the Talmud is a way that men get to participate in learning and maintaining our historical culture. I have a different way to contributing: not learning Yom Daf but by going to Eretz Yisroel and developing an affinity for our history.
I realize that many other students are going because they can afford to go, because they think it’s their right to go and they only want to have fun. I am aware that I have this opportunity because of others’ generosity and kindness, and their hopes that this trip will have impact on me, and then I will have impact on K’lal Yisroel. I take this responsibility seriously and I am aware that others depend on me to carry the Torch of Torah and love for our Homeland.
My family and I sincerely thank you all for making my dream a reality.
When I anticipate how learning in Israel is going to be, I get very excited. I think back to my recent experience at a Kiruv camp, where I was immersed in Judaism and learning. I dream of being surrounded by students who are as interested in learning as I am, and I dream of what it’s going to be like visiting the Kotel for the first time that I can remember. I have been to Israel before, but only as a toddler, and have no real connection yet.
What do I want from my experience in Israel?  I want to develop such a strong love for Yiddishkeit that I’ll breathe and live the Torah life style I yearn and strive for. I dream that my inner soul will grow, mature, and develop so beautifully that others will want to follow and reach higher levels themselves.
It is said that a smart person learns from their experiences, but a wise person learns from others. My ambition is to learn and emulate those women who have gone before me and developed into strong, confident Jewish women who add goodness and kindness in this world. I see myself as working with others and healing the sick as a career, but being empty inside, and not having a sense of who I really am, scares me. I see people who are older than myself feeling as if their life really had no meaning, that they went through life being the same person they were when they were in high school. I want to follow the footsteps of women who have contributed to K’lal Yisroel through education, role modeling, Chesed, and Tzedakah.
I believe that all of us know how we’re supposed to behave and live, but many of us don’t want to make the effort or feel uncomfortable with being different. My thought is that in Israel  being at Tomer Devorah will keep me immersed in Judaism, enhance my learning, and more importantly, strengthen my convictions to live life as a Torah Jewish woman.
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