Tanach
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A few weeks ago, Ayelet Wasserman, a 17-year-old girl originally from Los Angeles who now lives with her family in Jerusalem, visited the Jerusalem headquarters of United Hatzalah of Israel to donate an emergency ambucycle. Ayelet started raising money for United Hatzalah four years ago when, after a series of terror attacks in Jerusalem, she decided to do something to help protect the people in Israel. She had always had a dream of learning the entire bible and so she committed to learning two chapters a day – every day and to review the weekly portion every Shabbat (Saturday) with the goal of finishing the entire Bible within the year.

Thinking of how reassuring it was to see Hatzalah volunteers present at every terror attack and always ready to help, Ayelet decided to use her daily learning as a way to raise money for United Hatzalah. Ayelet wrote emails to family and friends and contributions sponsoring her daily learning poured in from around the world. The first year Ayelet raised enough to sponsor six volunteers but her hope was to raise enough for an ambucycle. Ayelet continued her daily learning and emails and, now four years later, she reached her goal.

The ambucycle
The ambucycleUnited Hatzalah

In a special dedication ceremony that was held at the United Hatzalah’s headquarters, President and founder of the organization Eli Beer presented Ayelet with a miniature silver ambucycle in honor of her hard work on behalf of the organization. He thanked her for her generosity and commitment to saving lives in Israel.

“Thankfully I was able to learn every single day since I decided to do this, but it didn’t come easily at all,” said the exuberant Wasserman. “To commit to learning every single day is a struggle. Some days are easier than others. Pushing hard and working towards a goal is a special gift from God as it says in Zechariah - 3:7 - “and I will give thee places to walk among those who stand by.” God is saying that to those who make an effort He will give them the opportunity to improve and succeed. If a person doesn’t push towards progress, then they will automatically regress. Please God, lives will be saved with this ambucycle, but I can say that my whole life has changed by undertaking this project.”

Wasserman explained why she undertook the challenge to raise the money for the ambucycle. “As an Orthodox Jew, I believe that the proper response to terror is learning (Torah). Through learning, we find God’s message as to why everything is the way it is. I hope to continue learning and to continue contributing to United Hatzalah. Hopefully soon, I’ll have another ambucycle.”

The ambucycle
The ambucycleUnited Hatzalah

Beer thanked Ayelet and her family for their efforts on his organization’s behalf and said: “This was truly a momentous event. It’s one thing to donate an ambucycle to enable us to save more lives in Israel; it’s another to combine long-term intensive Torah learning and crowdfunding to accomplish that goal. Thank you Ayelet and your whole family for choosing United Hatzalah; it was so amazing to dedicate this vehicle with you. You have earned every mechanical part, every mile, every life saved.”