Thanks for Sharing

Have you ever walked outside and heard blaring music coming from a car driving down the street?

Whenever that happened while I was out, I'd say to whoever I was with, "Thanks for sharing!" The music coming out of those cars weren't usually songs I'd want to listen to while having a massage. They were songs I'd choose to listen to while doing exercise. Or maybe I'd rather not listen to those songs at all... :-)

For a while, it was hard for me to understand why someone would do that. Why do they have to drive down the street and "share the wealth" with people who never asked for it? Why couldn't they just enjoy the music in their own car and not have to make so much noise?

Until I had that incredible urge.

I was driving down the street listening to a song that I absolutely love. A song that empowers me, that moves me, that pushes me to want to do more, to do my best no matter what is going on. It's a fast song, it has a great beat, and the words are just plain awesome.

And so...I did it. I rolled down my windows and turned the volume up to the max. 

Why? Why did I do that?

It's because...I had something that felt so incredible to me...and I wanted to share that with everyone around me. This song did something to me. It moved me. It inspired me. It talked to me. And I wanted everyone else to feel it too. I wanted them to hear the words, to feel what I was feeling. I wanted them to feel the power of the song so they could be touched the same way the music touched me.

All this got me thinking...

You know, we as Jews have something so incredible. We have the most awesome gift ever. Hashem gave us the Torah. It is a part of who we are, it helps us learn how to be more sensitive and caring to others. It turns us into better people.

Do we ever feel like we really want to share it with others?

When we feel a positive emotion that is so overpowering, we have this tremendous urge to share it with others. It's like when someone is in "simcha mode". When they get engaged, have a baby, marry off a child...or when a very close relative gets engaged, has a baby or gets married...the emotions inside of us are so strong, we just want to share it. We want all our friends and neighbors to know who got engaged to who, who had a baby and if it was a boy or a girl, who got married...all the exciting details of the simcha that make us feel so happy. All we feel like doing is sharing that incredible joy with others.

So...what about our Judaism? Are we as passionate about what we have that we feel this same urge to give over to others and share the wealth?

This year, before Shavuos, take the time to think about it. Think about the things inside you. The things you care deeply about. And if you are passionate about Torah and mitzvos and you have thoughts and ideas you want to share with someone who is not as fortunate as you are, who doesn't have the same Torah background as you have, sign up for a program that will give you the opportunity to share your wealth.

You can sign up to learn with someone on the phone once a week with Partners in Torah. You can learn with someone in person, one on one. And if you don't feel you have that inside you, you can host a kiruv training seminar in your house as a way to help others learn more about kiruv. Or, you may choose to donate some of your ma’aser money to any of the organizations who are involved in kiruv. Oorah also has many ways of getting involved.

Whatever you choose, just realize that you have been given a unique treasure. You own it...and it is a part of you. And if you felt passionate enough about it, you'd also feel like you want to do whatever you can to share it with others. 

Do what it takes to share the wealth. 

It will enrich your life in so many ways.

And Then There Were Those...

Last night, many, many people gathered together to celebrate the completion of the entire shas. It only took one day. One day at a time of working and trying, of learning and understanding...and totaled seven and a half years of dedication and perseverance.

Sure, there are so many lessons to take from this. About how much can be accomplished from a few moments of learning the same thing daily. About taking baby steps to achieve big things in life. About perseverance. About not giving up. About the power of a group of people doing something good together...and how that can give someone the push to continue doing it. About using time wisely and utilizing every minute. About the beauty of Torah and how every single person, no matter what they do, can have a part in it.

For those who went, it was powerful to spend a few hours with so many people to celebrate this huge accomplishment.

Many people turned their schedules around so they could be at this special event. There were those who left work early and young children who left day camp early. Some people got babysitters, some got rides, some took buses. People did whatever they had to. All so they could be there and be part of the experience. Yet still, there were plenty of people who were unable to make it to the siyum hashas.

And then there were those...

Those who didn't even know there was a siyum.

Those who don't even know what Torah is. Who don't know what a letter in the aleph bais looks like.

They have no idea what beauty they are missing out on. They don't even know such beauty exists.

Just a few days ago, we sat on the floor and mourned the destruction of the Bais Hamikdosh.
A friend of mine, Temima, shared the following thought with me from R’ Shimshon Pincus zt”l.

When we mourn over the churban and tragedies written about in the kinnos, we must keep in mind that today we are also undergoing tragedies as a result of the churban. During the churban it was the loss of millions of Jewish bodies. But today’s loss is millions of neshamos. Forever. In the kinnos we read that the navi saw mounds of tefillin removed from slain boys and men and he cried out, “Hashem, here are the tefillin but where are the heads?!”
Today we have to cry out, “Oy! Ribbono Shel Olam, here are the heads but where are the tefillin?!”

The churban is still very much with us in our time. It is just a different kind of churban.

What can we do about it?

What can you do about it?

It may sound harder than it is. But every person can do something.

You can sign up to learn with someone on the phone once a week with Partners in Torah. Through kiruv.com you can learn with someone in person, one on one. You can host a kiruv training seminar in your house or donate some of your ma’aser money to any of the organizations who are involved in kiruv. Oorah also has many ways of getting involved.

And...you can make a kiddush Hashem. Because wherever you go, whatever you do, people you know and people you don't are watching you and may be passing judgement about all Jews...when they see you. You represent the entire Jewish Nation.

So today, when I was outside and I saw an old neighbor of mine who grew up in a totally non-frum home, walking her dog with her non-Jewish boyfriend, I gave her a hug, talked to her for two minutes and treated her the way she should be treated. Like a person. I smiled at her and wished her well. I don't know what she thought when I left but I know I did mine. That tiny spark inside her will never go out. It may be dimmed for a while but there is hope for her and for those like her.

So...when I think about the siyum hashas and the beauty and power of so many people gathering together to celebrate this milestone, I also think about those who do not know of such beauty, who are unaware of what they are missing.

I will daven for them. I will hope for them. And I will do something real, something practical to make sure I can make a difference in someone else's life.

Do you think you can too?

Virus

My computer finally recovered from a virus. It was pretty frightening to say the least. I clicked on a link in an email from a sender I thought I could trust and next thing I knew something showed up on my screen that started running a virus scan on my computer...shortly after that my computer was completely taken over by this virus and the only option I had to click on was to purchase some sort of software that would clean up my computer-all I had to do was provide them with my credit card information. I knew better than to do that.

It took a lot of time to clean up this mess but by now my computer is just about back to normal. Some of the settings have to be plays around with to get it back to the way I like it but b"h I have all my files back and nothing was lost.

I cannot describe how scary it is to watch the icons on my desktop slowly disappear and then to click on Start>Programs and to see nothing there. Nothing at all. What happened to all the files i have saved there? And the pictures?!

"Don't worry." the guy who was helping us fix it said reassuringly. "They just do this to scare you. I will be able to get all your files back for you."

I was not really convinced and every time I asked him he calmed me down and told me there was no reason to worry; he would be able to retrieve all my information, every file and every picture for me.

It took a long time but eventually the men at Avenue M Computers got rid of the virus. It had penetrated deep inside the computer. It took a lot of work but they were able to get to the core of the problem and clean up the mess, getting the computer back to it's original state.

This gave me a lot to think about. I thought about Our People and how many of us are infected with a virus. So many teenagers are so far away from their parents' ways. So, so many people don't even know about the Torah and what they are missing-the virus has gotten to them, so deep inside their core.

It will take a lot of work, so much time and even more patience to get that virus out of them...to clean them up, to show them the way. With love and care they can be reached. We just need to use the right tools to get to their hearts.

Many people think that kiruv should be left to the professionals-the ones who are trained to answer the toughest questions and the ones who have all the proofs at their fingertips. But really, this is not true. You never know how far a warm smile, a friendly hello or opening the door to a stranger at the supermarket can go. Show people that Jews are warm and caring-it makes such a difference.

It's not that hard to make a kiddush Hashem with simple things. When you are out shopping or walking down the street, people are looking at you. You don't know how closely that woman in jeans is watching you. I was in a bakery on Friday and I saw an older couple purchasing challah for shabbos-I never would have guessed that they were Jewish from the way they looked. Were they watching me? Possibly. I'll never know. But if I act properly wherever I go, I can know that I am making a kiddush Hashem and whoever sees me will think positively of Our People.

Yes, our nation is infected. There are so many Jews who are so far away from the truth. You don't have to do huge things to make an impact. Sometimes, it's those small interactions with those who are far away that can help bring them back.

And if you feel you have the ability to really make a difference, take the time to sign up for Partners in Torah or Oorah's Torah Mates program.

May the day come when we are completely cleaned from the virus that has infected Our People for so many generations!

Tiny Spark

Yesterday, I had a meeting with someone at work. Her name sounded pretty Jewish but from the way she looked there was no way to tell. Pants and a short-sleeved t-shirt, long brown hair with light yellow streaks (obviously dyed), I couldn't know for sure.

When there was a technical glitch on the computer and I couldn't continue with our meeting, we instead started to talk. She was very friendly and open about her life and I asked her some basic questions about herself.

It was interesting that when I asked her which school she went to, she immediately chose to identify herself with the Jewish one she had gone to up until 5th grade. Although after that she went to public school and then continued on to college, she chose to tell me that she went to a Jewish school. It was geared to Russian girls who came from non-religious homes, just like she did.

It was taking a while for the technician to fix the technical problem on the computer but let me tell you, everything has a reason. Hashem set the stage, for her to come with more than enough time for the meeting before going on to her next stop and for the computer to act up (it barely EVER happens) so that we could talk about Judaism (for close to an HOUR)!

It was amazing to see that when I started telling her little things about torah, I was able to see the interest on her face, like she was listening with her heart and so badly wanted to hear more.

I asked her if she keeps kosher and she said no. I asked her if she keeps shabbos and she said no. But her family does do something each shabbos. Her mother doesn't light candles on Friday night and her father surely doesn't go to shul. The extent of their shabbos is a family meal together every Friday night. No kiddush, no zemiros, no divrei torah. Just a meal with everyone together on Friday night. I told her that what her family does is really big in Hashem's eyes because they are remembering every single week that shabbos has come. And that is what is important.

I told her that people think Judaism is all or nothing - but that's not true. Hashem doesn't expect us to do everything in one day. A person shouldn't think that if they can't keep the whole shabbos they shouldn't even try. I told her how valuable every act she does is in shamayim, how Hashem wants to see that a person remembers that it's shabbos, even if that means not answering the phone the second it rings, waiting a minute to respond to that text message or not turning the TV on for an extra five or ten minutes. Because that is showing Hashem that she remembers that today is shabbos.

It was so sad to see how far removed she is. But it was heartwarming to see how much she wanted to learn and know and how that pintele yid, that teeny flame, is alive in her heart.

I told her a lot of things while the computer technician did his work. I could see that she really wanted to hear more. Her neshama was starving for inspiration and I could see it on her face. My job is not to make her frum. All I wanted to do was give her a positive Jewish experience.

She told me that she would want to learn more about Judaism, she's just been really busy and doesn't have time. When she has children, she would want them to go to a Jewish school so they can learn more about what it means to be a Jew and then hopefully she can learn from them. She is quite a few years older than me but I told her it is not too late to learn, it is never too late to learn more.

I am hoping to follow up with her somewhat over the next few phone conversations with her but it's a hard balance. I have to be able to mix (or not) business with pleasure and must be careful not to cross the line.

What inspired me most about our meeting was that deep connection that every Jewish soul has and nothing can take that away. Speaking to someone who has very little connection to the Jewish nation but yet when she met me she immediately identified herself with the Jewish school she went to and showed such a strong interest in hearing more about yiddishkeit showed me that it never hurts to open up a conversation with someone about Judaism. You never know how they'll react and how years down the line they may remember the conversation they had with you.

May Hashem bring back all the lost souls so they can see with their own eyes and feel in their hearts how lucky we all are to be born into the Jewish nation!

There is so much more in my heart and so many thoughts from that meeting that are hard to put down...but let's hope that one day she will learn more, grow more and realize that she has a treasure in her backyard...and begin to live with it!

How One Word Changed My Life

Over ten years ago I decided to quit my job and go travelling around the world. Just before I went on my travels I flew to visit my cousin in Tel Aviv. On the flight back to London I was asked if I minded moving seats as a married couple wanted to sit together. I obliged and they moved me to a seat next to a very religious looking man. Even though I had spent a week in Tel Aviv I had not met any Jews as religious as this man appeared to be.

Having gone to a non-Jewish school; brought up in a non observant home, I had never spoken to a religious Jew before, and thought he looked completely antiquated. After a few moments the man looked up at me, smiled, said HELLO and introduced himself. The thought going through my mind was what does this man want from me? We could not been more different in appearance, he with a long beard, white shirt and black suit and I with long hair in a pony tail wearing jeans. However despite all of our external differences I really warmed to him and we ended up talking for the entire journey.

At the end of the flight he asked me for my phone number so he could stay in contact with me. Although I was suspicious of his intentions I gave him my number all the same, as I reasoned that I could always avoid his call if need be.

I spent the next seven months traveling the world and did not think of him once. At the end of my trip I decided that I really missed my friends and family and decided to surprise them and come home a week early. My family all ate lunch together to celebrate my safe return and just as we were finishing our meal the phone rang. My father picked up the phone and passed the handset to me. I was in shock...It was the Rabbi I met on the plane. How did he know I was home? What did he want?

We spoke briefly and we agreed that we would stay in contact. For the next few years the Rabbi phoned me from time to time. I ended up calling him my guardian Angel as he always called me when I was facing something challenging. He was always pleasant and never judgmental.

One time he told me that he was flying to London and I decided to meet him at the airport. This ended up being a common occurrence and once or twice a year I would meet him for a chat at various airports. On one occasion he flew into Gatwick and was planning to go to Newcastle to visit his poorly father. I collected him and decided that we would do a road trip together.

During the journey we talked at length and when we finally arrived in Gateshead at about 2am we decided to stay at his parent’s house. As we entered the house I could not get over the huge quantity of books lining the walls. Who was his father? I left the following morning and drove back home mulling over my experience. Several weeks later I received a call from the Rabbi saying that his father had passed away. He told me that although his father was going to be buried in Israel there would be a something happening in Stamford Hill. I had never been to Stamford Hill before, and I stuck out like a sore thumb.

Over the next few weeks I saw numerous newspaper articles about the death of his father, I even saw a photo of a sea of black hats with a little red Yamulke in the midst, which I recognized as my own.

Unfortunately I never met my Rabbi’s father, the late Gateshead Rov, Rabbi Betzalel Rakow, but I know that he must have been a great man, to have a son like my Rabbi.

Over the years that followed I became slowly more religious, and now thank G-d I am married to a wonderful woman, have three beautiful children and live a religious life. Words cannot express how grateful I am that I met my Rabbi, whose kind words and determination to stay in contact with me completely turned my life around.

One can never know the long lasting effects even for many generations to come of just saying hello and a few kind words to a stranger.
Try it! All it takes is ONE WORD to make a person feel good!

Just One Word is a project of The Lite House. Do you have a story where a good word changed your life? Email it to thelitehouse1 [at] gmail.com.

My Friday Night Story - Part 3

Here's the end of my story...but maybe it's just the beginning of her story!!

We got to the house, looked at the name on the bell just to make sure it was the right house and knocked on the door. So the craziest thing is, that the name that we had was this person’s maiden name! Mind you, she is married for over 15 years but for some reason, she is known by both last names. The hostess opened the door, let out a yell, hugged her guest (twice!) and jumped up and down saying, “I can’t believe you are here!!” Then she gave us a little background about her guest. Basically, they meet at their Weight Watchers group every week, but this girl had never had a Shabbos meal before, her parents are against her learning about Judaism, but she was invited as a “no commitment” just to come for a Friday night dinner and enjoy. No books, speeches, lectures…just come and see what a Friday night meal is all about and enjoy it. This girl is thirty-two years old and never had a shabbos meal in her life!! Think about that!! She spent thirty-two years in this world and never spent shabbos surrounded by family with the warmth and love that we all enjoy and take for granted!!

The hostess then said that they already started their meal but, “Don’t worry, my son will do it all over again for you! He will make Kiddush, hamotzi…and I lit the shabbos candle for you already so whenever you are ready, you can accept the shabbos and let it enter your heart!”

The girl was HIGH! Seriously, she was in the clouds that Hashem helped her all along to find her place. The whole thing was amazing!! Every minute of her night was calculated! She got lost, my mother and sister left my house at exactly that minute so they can meet up with her, they came to my house and I knew the hostess because of the one time she had given me a ride, my neighbor was able to give us exact directions to their house and this girl felt Hashem with her every step of the way!


Now here’s a continuation of this story. I was running into a grocery store on my way home from work to pick up something really quickly for supper the next night and who do I see?! The hostess!! (Do you see how Hashem plans every minute of your day?! I was going to run in and out and as I was going into the store, I saw her walking right in front of me!) She told me that this shabbos was unbelievable for her guest. She was so inspired, so uplifted, she loved EVERYTHING about shabbos! She was only supposed to stay for the Friday night meal but loved it so much, she asked to stay overnight. They set up a bedroom in the basement for her, she went to shul on shabbos morning, went to a shiur on shabbos afternoon, did not pick up her cell phone the entire shabbos, and just loved everything about shabbos! She said it felt so right, so good, she wanted to know everything and keep it all! Of course, the hostess told her that she should take it slow and not take everything upon herself at once but this girl’s life is changing, that’s for sure!! She was on a total high from her shabbos experience!! It looks like she will be spending many more shabbos meals with religious families…and who knows how far she can come, in another few years…

My Friday Night Story - Part 2

Here's Part 2 of the amazing story that happened to me...

After a few minutes of talking and the get-to-know-you introductions, I casually asked, “Oh, so what’s the name of the family you were supposed to eat by?”
When she told me the (mother’s) name, I said, “I know who she is!!”
She jumped off the couch (for real!) with excitement and started to flip out!! She wanted to know how I knew her and was already holding on to her bags and was going to run over to the house. But although I know the lady, I didn’t know exactly where she lives, I just knew she lived within a few blocks from my house but had no clue exactly where.

Happens to be (nothing really “happens to be") that I know her because she had given me a ride once when she stopped by my office and was not able to drive me all the way home because she had to stop by her house to take care of something and then was going to run somewhere else…

So while she sat on the couch, I looked up the name in all the phone books I have and couldn’t find it. I went with Elisheva to two neighbors to ask them if they knew where this family lives. Neither of them answered the door. I went back upstairs and a few minutes later, my husband came home from shul. I quickly explained the whole story to him and we decided I’d go with my mother and sister and try to find the house. Hashem would help us!!
I knocked on the first neighbors door, looked through a phone book that I don’t have in my house and couldn’t find her name. I went to another neighbors (they were already up to the soup and I felt so bad to interrupt!) and they knew who she was and where she lived!! They told me the street name, described what the house looked like, (pass the garage, the first house on that street, with a gate around it…)

Yipee!! Finally! We were making progress!!!

So together we walked listening to this girl tell us more about herself. She totally felt Hashem with her! it was not normal because this girl is not frum, doesn’t know about shabbos and mitzvos and here she is, telling us how she feels Hashem is with her…and she told us that her earliest memory was when she was 3 years old, they made a mi shebairach for her in shul because she was sick with pneumonia and ever since then, she never got sick!! She was always healthy and she felt that it was because of the mi shebairach they made for her in shul!!

My Friday Night Story - Part 1

I'm breaking this post up into a few parts because after I put it up here, I realized that it's too long to read at once...

These stories don’t happen to me! I’m telling you! I know I’m Chaya Sara’s sister, but this story is the type to happen to her not to me!!
Anyway, you just see how Hashem is in charge of every little detail of what happens and every minute of your day…

Last week (not this past week, but the week before), I was having a very busy erev Shabbos and my younger sister, Elisheva, called me when I was super busy to ask me if she can come visit me on Friday night. She was planning to come right before candle-lighting when it’s not-yet-dark outside and then she would need to be taken home because in order to walk from my house to my mother, you need to pass through a not-so-safe neighborhood. I was waaaay too tired so I told her that it wouldn’t really work for me since I had a very exhausting week so maybe she’d come another week.
Well, a few minutes after I lit candles, I heard someone coming up the stairs. I went to answer the door and who was standing there? My sister, Elisheva! She was puffing and panting and said, “You don’t understand what happened!!” And then she started to tell me:

I was walking with mommy to come visit you (she must’ve really wanted to come visit me, because she came up with her own plan, walk with mommy and so she’d have someone to walk home with!) and as we were walking, we saw a girl (who was obviously not religious) carrying a bag. She asked us, “Is it shabbos yet?” (sounds like that book…Is it Shabbos Yet?!) and mommy said, “Yes, but let me help you. You look lost!”
So this girl said that she was supposed to be eating by someone but I lost their address. So my mother, being the tzadekes that she is, stayed with this girl to try to help her find her place. Together, they knocked on the door of someone on that block to try to get the address of the family this girl was supposed to eat by. In the meantime, Elisheva came to my house and told me a little bit about the girl they had met. She was reform, never kept shabbos before and her train got delayed and here she was, roaming the streets, trying to find someone to help her. Once she met my mother, the two of them started on their search.

Elisheva was very worried about my mother. They had gone a few blocks away from my house, where the not-so-safe neighborhood gets even worse to try to find this family. Elisheva kept peeking out of the window, opening my door and trying to listen out for my mother, hoping she was okay. I kept calming her down. Finally, after what felt like a long wait, there was a knock on my door…this time it was my mother and the girl she had met.

Now, before I continue my story, I want to just describe to you what this girl looked like, just so you can get a better picture of where she is coming from. She was wearing bright red lipstick, a bright orange long-sleeved t-shirt (and when I say bright, I mean bright, like the type that you need to squint when you look at her, it was so bright!), a flairy mid-length denim skirt (She said it’s the longest skirt she has!), lots of (gold) necklaces of different lengths, a bunch of bracelets, multi-colored sneakers that lace up to the middle of her leg, and carrying a backpack. I don’t know if this describes her well, but this can definitely give you a start.

I welcomed them in, had them sit down on the couch and listened. They ended up knocking on the door of a family with the same last name - but not the family they were looking for. They had walked in the freezing cold and now they were stuck. They guessed that this person was not listed in the phone book and came to me. The girl made herself comfortable and started telling us a little bit about herself and about how sorry she felt that she wouldn’t be able to join that family for the meal. In my head, I was already planning the rest of her shabbos for her. She’d eat the meal at my house and I’d ask my neighbor if she could sleep in their guest room. I hadn’t prepared extra food and since we are only a family of two who eat (my baby’s food is of a different sort!), and I was not sure what we’d do. I figured we’d do the best we can, I definitely have enough challah and dips and salad but when I prepare for two, I already know how much we eat. Well, Hashem runs the world and we just got to see it so clearly!!! We can try to plan but the One Above has everything all planned out for us!!

Hashem is in charge of every button that you press even the wrong ones can sometimes be better than we thought!!

I just wanted to tell you the MOST incredible thing ever. You don't understand! These stories don't happen to me! Hashem is nuts!!! Ok so we were on the hotline last Thursday night and after we read Daughters of Dignity, some voice asked "What was that?" and we said the title and everything and moved on...
Later the person announced that we do not know her but her name is Rachel and how do we all know each other. We were so confused and say "Camp." As we continued a couple more questions popped up, like "So what exactly is this?" "Well we learn every night on here." "What do you mean?" And i got a little freaked out that she wasn't Jewish and it was just a little weird... and she explained that someone gave her the hotline number but she messed up the room code. But this girl stayed on the entire time. She remained all through 3 hours of learning not all of which she undestoond and then once it was only like 5 people left, she asked, "So you all go to yeshivas? Have you all been brought up religous." And we said yes and then asked totally hesitantly, "um, what's your background?"

This is going to blow you away. Here's her story: Well, some non Jewish person gave her that number and she by Hashem's total will messed onto our learning. Her grandparents were like old school religious and her parents weretotally anti-religion. A year and a half ago, she was diagnosed with cancer and sent to Maimonodes and her roomate was religious. Her parents made her switch rooms but she ended up back witht he religious girl. The religious girl always wore a skirt so Rachel asked her about it, and it made sense to her that if you cover your body, maye G-d will make your body better. So Rachel tried putting on a skirt and slowly became more religious and everything jsut got easier. Her parents are totally against it though (I even mentioned Aish.com because she mentioned R' Zelig Pliskin's books and she said that her parents filter her internet AGAINST the relgious stufff). Anyway, she now wears skirts and doesn;t even really think about, she sometimes does but she was saying how in the regular world, no one thinks of skirts covering the knees. The questions "Does it just cover or does it even reach your thighs?" But as she covered more and more, she just really saw how right it all was. But then, a few months ago, she just said forget it. And she was expecting fire and brimstone and the world to crash. But. Nothing happens. And she realized that the world doesn't work like that.. One time she even got a pair of jeans that she knew she would love and she cut it up and sewed it into a skirt- how crazy cool!!! weare all listening, mouths gaping open.

She also said a story about how she was discharged from the hospital for a few months, and she came home and decided that she was not eating meat any more, becoming vegetarian was an easy way to be kosher. Her mom was not happy and had a whole fight about it.
She had to head back to the hospital sooner than expected and had a feeding tube in her mouth. Right after she got off the feeding tube- the hospital began giving out kosher food. What crazy hashgacha!!

And she's still learning with a roommate and she is in public school, and lives in, get this, Brooklyn! And she has a crazy postive attutiude, such a cool, great attitude. And we were asking her questions, like how she keeps her emunah and how she got into all of this and how it felt to be becoming religous and sh was amazing! She was giving us chizuk!! This is so sent from Shamayim, it is nottt normal. Then it became just like 4 girls on and we were shmoozing and chilled and she asked us what different words we sai on the hotline meant and to explain things like Rosh Chodesh and Shabbos. She asked what Shabbos is like for us.. We began talking about Rosh Hashana and she has jsut no plans for ROsh Hashana.. I don't know what the significance of al this is, but I keep waiting for someone to say "Joke, sorry, shes my friend from whatever, there's a reason behind all this," but it's form hashem, most random coincidence, it's jus nuts, I can't get over it. We gave her an email address and she has emailed even and she has come back on the hotline 3 times. tonight, after, she asked what we learned exactly and I explained what each bok is. To keep coming and on and to eamil means she really is into it. It's just the coolest thing ever that's happened. And also we asked her what she does on Shabbos and she said she doesn't really know enough about Shabbos to do anything, and she wants to change and doesn't have the means to do so and we are all just not sure how we can help her out..
Here's what she emailed Tmima (http://us.mc525.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=learninghotline@gmail.com just btw)
"Guys its Rachel, this is the coolest thing ever. well i found out that the conference i wanted to call's pin was 74 and was over at ten O'clock. If you can give me the password for the blog you made i will try to look at it. you guys sure love camp, to all keep up! I think your hot line is the coolest thing ever. I wanna tell you what makes me stay on to hear you guys talk its not all those things you read (i x understand if you all grew up religious why do you have to read all those books?) but the respect you all show to one another. You all wait for the other one to finish talking and then ask if anyone else has anything to say... well I never heard that before. I want to thank you for the entertainment at night, one of my meds i take makes me really groggy so i end up falling asleep making me to a real night owl! "
This is what a real kiddush Hashem is...
she was not brought up frum and yet she realizes how beautiful our mitzvos are!! Even though her parents dont allow her look how Hashem worked it out for her to have a frum roomate!!
When we open our eyes we are zoche to get a glimpse of Hashem's incredible world!!
From a song one part that i feel is soo good for us to hear
Lost and alone no shelter in sight, feel his
hand on your shoulder, as he leads you towards the light!!
Fill your heart with faith only then will you find peace,
he's everywhere aorund you, just look and you will see!!
Tamar thank you soo much for this story!!
May we be zoche to open our eyes and see how Hashem is guiding every push of a button that we press!!