The Orphan Girl Mariya Boiym Wants to be a Soldier
of the Israeli Defense Forces

In autumn 2009, Mariya Boym, a Zaporozhye Jewish orphan, left for Israel on a JAFI program. The boarding school Kaduri where she studies is 15 minutes way from Tveriya.
Israel has always been the girl’s long-cherished dream.

Mariya was only 10 when her mother, the closest and most beloved person in the girl’s life, died. For two years has Mariya’s mother been suffering from breast cancer. Due to improper treatment the diseases ended with metastases in lungs and death. Mariya’s father by that time had another family and did not help his daughter.
Mariya is not a halakic Jewish girl; her father is Jewish. Yet, the Lord gave Mariya’s deadly sick mother insight in the future of her daughter. In the last six months of her illness, Mariya’s mother turned to the Rabbi asking to take Mariya to a boarding school under charge of the Chabad religious college where Mariya studied. The mother did not want her daughter to see her anguish; she wanted her daughter to be surrounded by care, attention and sense of the Jewish environment all around her – for her future was in Jewish culture, religion and the atmosphere. Still, Mariya has stuck to her mother’s words – it was nothing else but the Lord’s will.
In four months after her mother’s death Mariya was taken from the boarding school but not by her father – Mariya’s mother’s younger sister Natalya became Mariya’s guardian. Mariya’s father was deprived of parental rights, and Mariya has lived in Natalya’s family till she was 15 and left for Israel. Mariya calls Natalya mother.
Natalya is not Jewish. However, she was precise in following her elder sister’s will. Mariya’s mother has arranged it that since the very childhood, Mariya has always grew up in Jewish environment and loved Jewish traditions, culture, religion. Natalya has seen to keeping the tradition and helped Mariya start studying in Israel. Our fund “People Who Care” contributed to it. We helped the orphan girl in searching for documents, consulted her and covered the expenses on her preparations for departure.
Mariya has spent two years in Israel.

Of a tomboy

she turned into a lovely Israeli maiden.

She is self-confident.
She is absolutely sure that Israel would give her a range of opportunities able to help her find a proper place in the society.

The two years Mariya spent in Israel were a wonderful time for her. She was surrounded by care and attention of tutors and teachers.
Mariya celebrated her seventeenth birthday with her friends who gave her a delicious birthday cake.
Last year Mariya and other students of her school spent some time in a military youth camp.
Mariya never hesitated about her decision – to join the Israeli Defense Force after graduation. Defending their country is an honourable duty of all the Israeli young people. Mariya knows, Israel is her homeland, and she is proud to be able to do something good for her country. It has become not only a historical motherland for her, but also a beloved and very secure place on the Earth, where all her dreams may come true.


Next year Mariya is going to be 18. She will become an Israeli citizen, and in summer 2012 she is going to join the army. Then she wants to pass giyur being a non-halakic Jew.

 

Where to study thereafter, Mariya has not decided yet. She is so filled with zest and energy that it is still difficult for her to determine her inclinations. That is why the Chairman of the council of trustees of the fund PWC Igor Vinokurov had a long and profound talk with Mariya during her visiting the fund PWC on August, 19th 2011.
Knowing Israeli laws and the life in Israel, Igor warned Mariya against possible delusions and mistakes, advised how to take advantage of one’s preferences and not to lose one’s right for them. And – what is more important – how to find oneself, to make a right choice. Mariya can rely only upon herself. She has got no relatives in Israel.

It was a good home-like talk where Igor looked like an instructing father, and Mariya listened attentively.

In order to make the visit to the fund PWC not only useful but also pleasant, we gave Mariya presents.

This is our regular way: no orphan ever leaves our office without a gift.

Mariya liked the trainers from the humanitarian aid the fund PWC received for poor Jewish people in Ukraine.
The trainers were brand-new and pretty. Mariya was puzzled which to choose – white or blue?
We gave her the two pairs – orphan children receive gifts not too often.

Besides that, Mariya received «A Pleasing Surprise» - $30 from our donors.

May each orphan have more happiness in their lives.
May the Promised Land help Mariya fulfil her dreams!

Leaving, Mariya put down several Hebrew lines:


Hi!
A am a student in Israel.
Soon I am joining the Israeli Defense Forces. Then I will pass giyur and go into further education.
Thank you everybody.
Masha Boym.
19.08.2011.