Chana* had just come back from seminary — that magical, transformative year in Eretz Yisroel that so many girls dream of. But now that it was over, the big question loomed: what next? She wanted to do something productive and practical, something she’d actually enjoy. Since she’d always had a head for numbers, Chana decided to enroll in an advanced accounting training course and intern a few hours a week at a small accounting firm. It wasn’t exactly exciting, but it was sensible — and practicality mattered.
Still, the shift from a year steeped in ruchniyus, with daily shiurim and uplifting role models, to long hours of ledgers and spreadsheets was jarring. Her days were packed with work and study, leaving barely a moment to breathe. Once a week she made sure to do some chessed — visiting an elderly woman at the nursing home or helping a neighbor who had just had twins — small gestures that added meaning to her otherwise colorless routine.
Yet she missed seminary — the friends, the inspiration, the sense of purpose. Accounting made sense for parnassah, and she wasn’t the “teaching” type, but she couldn’t help wondering, Is this really it? Meanwhile, shidduchim were beginning to enter the picture. Her parents lived simply and could only offer a year of support, so Chana knew she had to be realistic.
Then came a surprise suggestion — Shlomo Rosman*. Shlomo’s aunt in Yerushalayim had heard glowing things about Chana from her neighbor — the very woman Chana had gone to weekly for her chessed project! Impressed, the aunt told Shlomo’s mother, “You should put this girl at the top of your list.”
And so, Chana and Shlomo met. To everyone’s pleasant surprise — especially Chana’s parents — they hit it off immediately. After the fourth date, there was that quiet excitement in the air — the feeling that this might really be it. And then, everything fell apart. It was a week before Chanukah, and they were supposed to meet Thursday night.
When Chana got home from her course, her mother’s uneasy expression said it all. “The shadchan called,” she said softly. “Shlomo can’t come tonight.” Chana shrugged. “No problem. Maybe something came up.” But her mother hesitated before adding, “Shlomo changed his mind. It seems like the shidduch is over.”
Just like that. No reason. No explanation. Chana sat in stunned silence. Everything had been going so well — what had happened? The next few weeks passed in a fog. Chana went through the motions — working, studying, helping where she could — but inside she felt hollow. When she finally completed her accounting course, she began wondering if she should change fields, though her parents gently discouraged it.
Then came the final blow: a mazel tov announcement in the community paper — Shlomo Rosman and Tzippy Lerman*. Tzippy — her good friend from high school. The words blurred as she read them again and again. For a moment she felt betrayed, as though Tzippy had stolen her chosson, but she quickly pushed the thought away. She knew Hashem ran the world; if Shlomo was meant for her, no one could have taken him.
Still, the pain was sharp. Tzippy’s family had yichus, money, and connections — things Chana’s modest background couldn’t match. Her parents could promise a year of support; Tzippy’s could promise ten. Forcing herself to go to the vort, Chana smiled politely, said mazel tov, and slipped out after ten excruciating minutes, closing that chapter for good.
The next few weeks were lonely and cold, both inside and out. With no job, no school, and no shidduch on the horizon, Chana searched for something — anything — to fill her time. That’s when she began volunteering for an organization helping children battling serious illness. They were desperate for girls to stay with the children overnight or keep them company in the hospital. Chana was available — and willing.
And so began a new phase in her life. She didn’t know it yet, but this detour was about to lead her to places — and people — she never could have imagined.
(Reprinted from the Parshas Lech Lecha 5786 email of The Weekly Vort. Excerpted from the ArtScroll book - Another Handful of Stars)
TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK
