My sister Avital and I grew up in a home devoid of Yiddishkeit. Through the Chesed of Hashem, my parents decided to send us to a neighborhood Shuvu school in Lod as the school had a wonderful reputation. Going to this school changed our lives.

We learned about things we never knew about. How to say Shema and how Hashem listens to our Tefillos. We learned stories from the children outside of Shuvu’s Lod Chumash and about various Mitzvos. It opened my world! 

Our teachers also extended themselves by frequently inviting us to their homes for meals on Shabbos and Yom Tov. Experiencing firsthand the beauty of a Torah home helped me realize that this is the type of home I want for myself as well.

Though my parents weren’t Shomer Shabbos, we did what we could as young girls to try and minimize the Chillul Shabbos in our home, removing refrigerator lightbulbs, and even making sure the tissues were separated on Friday so that we would not come to ripping anything on Shabbos.

As we continued growing in our understanding, our teachers were there for Avital and myself every step of the way, treating us as their own children.

At the time, we did not know where to buy Tzniyus clothes as regular secular Israeli stores did not carry those types of styles. When I asked my Morah what to do, she took my sister and myself shopping for clothes befitting of a Bas Yisroel. This made us feel good about ourselves, both inside and out!

Even after high school, we stayed in touch with our teachers,  who provided us with continued Chizuk. After we got married and started our own Torah homes, my parents, who would sometimes get angry at Avital and me for pursuing a Torah lifestyle as we were growing up, finally embraced our decision to become religious.

It was tremendously emotional for my mother to see her first grandchild entered into the bris of Avraham Avinu. Seeing that melted away all her resentment. She was proud to see her own grandson going in the ways of Klal Yisroel’s beautiful Mesorah.

They even decided to send my younger sisters, Litale and Shiran, to a Shuvu school as well.

In what is truly Hashgacha Pratis, my husband Daniel, became a 7th grade Rebbe in a Shuvu school!

He likes telling people that Hakadosh Baruch Hu allowed him to become a Rebbe and to teach the next generation of children in Shuvu so that he may express his Hakaros Hatov to Shuvu for what they did by bringing me, Michal, to a Torah lifestyle.

I am so thankful for Shuvu. It’s not just a school. It is truly family.

Thank You Shuvu!

Michal Patachov

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