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10/18
2002
82
Teens
An Inspiration
Madricha lifts the spirits of the girls at Michlelet Grot.
r
RACHEL KOHN
Special to the Jewis-h News
from the village of Carmei Tzur. A terrorist had entered
the village, and the husband left his house to protect his
pregnant wife. When he did not come back after she heard
nom the first day of the Bat Tzion program,
shots, the wife went out to find him and was gunned down
madricha Ronit Tuval was there to help the girls
as well, just outside their home. "I didn't know them, but I
get settled into their new life on Michlelet Grot's
went to their funeral."
campus.
Though she hears snippets of news on the radio, Tuval
The 20-year-old Mevaseret Tzion
claims that she does not follow the
native and graduate of the Ulpanat
peace process. She unconsciously balls
Bnei Akiva works as a madricha, the
her delicate hands into fists, expressing
seminary equivalent of a residential
her exasperation. "It is very angering
assistant, while taking her sopho-
and frustrating to hear what the [non-
more courses at Michlelet Grot.
Israeli] politicians say on the radio.
A friendly young woman who is
They don't understand what's going on
always willing to lend a hand or a
here!" she cries, momentarily switching
sympathetic ear to her charges, Tuval
over to English as though to emphasize
is a favorite of the Bat Tzion girls.
her point.
Her warm smile and wonderful
She believes that Prime Minister Ariel
sense of humor, however, do not
Sharon and the Israeli government need
hide the faint signs of stress upon
to be strong and not back down from
her face, marks of sleepless nights
international pressure. "The world hates
spent worrying about friends and
us; there is anti-Semitism," says Tuval.
family or crying over lost loved ones.
"Because of pressure on Sharon, we can-
Ronit Tuval carries among her
not think about what is good for us. We
memories the sorrows of living in a
need to do what's good for us, to be
country torn by conflict.
stubborn, to stand up for what is ours."
Tuval describes her first year of
Conversely, Tuval emphasizes the
college as Interesting and fun. She
*ft
:
huge impact that foreign support and
and her friends traveled often, hik-
aliyah have on Israelis. "Every now and
ing and camping in the Golan and
then, there is an announcement on the
the Negev, but the security situation
radio how many more people from
limited their movement in certain
France or Argentina made aliyah this
areas.
half of the year as opposed to the last,
"There were places we learned
things like that, and it makes one
Outside her apartment at Michlelet
about and could not go to, and that
incredibly
happy."
Grot, Ronit Tuval recites afternoon
was a great pity," she said.
That people are still coming to Israel,
prayers for peace.
According to Tuval, freedom to
even as tourists, gives the country's people
travel in Israel has basically remained
some hope they have not been exiled
the same throughout the past year — not getting better,
from the world community, banished into an abyss of hostility
but not getting worse. She takes it as a matter.of fact that
and hatred.
some places are off-limits.
As for the new year, Tuval says, "You can only hope, but it is
When asked if she is afraid when she goes to the popular
impossible to know what will be. Every year you hope it will be
mall in Mevaseret Tzion to shop or eat, Tuval replied shyly
better ... but it is a long path. We do not know what will be.
that she is "not really into all that anyway," so it is not an
"I'll tell you something, though," she says emotionally. "My
issue for her. She prefers to read books, cook and visit her
friends from high school, who I had not seen since then, we all
friends from the Ulpana. The youngest of six siblings, she also met over the summer at funerals and memorials, sad things ...
enjoys spending time with her many nieces and nephews.
We said, 'Enough! After this, only weddings!'"
Surrounding herself with life helps Tuval deal with the grim
She pauses to look at her telephone. Her boyfriend, Dovi, is
reality around her; she has lost many friends and acquaintances
in the army and promised to call as soon as he was off duty. "If
to terrorist attacks this year. Two girls from Orot, one a close
they [the terrorists] kill us, we will have more children; if they
friend of Tuval in high school as well as college, were killed
destroy, we will rebuild. That is the command,,to do good and
within the past three months. "I have been to a lot of funerals"
bring about happiness."
this summer, she says. "Even though some of the people are
Tuval's fortitude and determination are so admirable, and she
just acquaintances, you know their families ... you know them."
is only a representative of the countless young adults in Israel
One funeral she attended was that of a young couple
who chose a positive attitude as their weapon against terror and
uncertainty.
Rachel Kohn, 18, from West Bloomfield, is a first-year stu-
When one meets Ronit Tuval, it is impossible to ignore the
dent at Michlelet Grot. She graduated from Yeshivat Akiva in
presence of a true woman of valor.
Southfield in June.
❑