Why we opened this campaign
My name is Leah, and I recently turned 20 years old. About five years ago, while still a very young girl, I made aliyah to Israel from Ukraine on my own to study at a boarding school that helps young women connect with Jewish tradition.
While I was still in school in Ukraine, I began drawing closer to my roots and became an active part of the Jewish community. Here, in the Holy Land, I felt that my religious journey had found its true meaning — I had finally come home. Today, I feel like an integral part of the community. I study and live at the Nativ Bina Midrasha and wholeheartedly strive to continue growing in my Jewish identity and faith.
Throughout this entire journey, I have supported and provided for myself entirely on my own. I have recently found a job as a pediatric dental assistant.
My mother made aliyah after me when she was forced to leave her home because of the war in Ukraine. She came with my grandmother, and she also has two young children to support. My mother works extremely hard as a caregiver and carries the entire burden of supporting the family alone, without any help or support. Because of her financial situation, she is unable to help me purchase even the basic necessities.
Thank G-d, I have now been blessed to become engaged to a wonderful young man named Daniel. The story of how we met is a true miracle. It all began when my friend invited me to spend Shabbat at Daniel’s sister’s home. In the past, she had taught me a few lessons at school. We were not close and had barely stayed in touch, but that Shabbat meeting changed everything. When Daniel’s family saw me, they felt that Daniel and I were perfectly suited for one another.
Daniel completed his military service and continues to fulfil his duty to this day, regularly serving in the reserves. He is also a determined and ambitious person. He has completed professional training and is actively developing his career in NLP, with the goal of helping others.
We are preparing to get married and build a faithful and loving Jewish family in Israel on the upcoming holiday of love and compassion — Tu B’Av.
I am reaching out to you because we are facing a genuine financial need. I have no financial safety net that would allow me to enter the chuppah with peace of mind and joy. I am carrying the heavy burden of wedding expenses, rent and purchasing the basic necessities required to create our new home.
From the bottom of my heart, I am asking you to help me enter the chuppah with joy and peace, without beginning our married life burdened by overwhelming debt.
