Two Midreshet Lindenbaum alumnae among 120 “Excellent” IDF soldiers recognized by President in Israel’s 70th year
As in each year, “Mitztaynei Hanasi” – those IDF soldiers who are recognized with the President’s Award for Excellence in service – received their awards at a special ceremony which took place on Yom Haatzmaut, in the presence of President Reuven Rivlin and Chief of General Staffs Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eizenkot.
Amongst the soldiers who ascended the stage to receive the President’s Award for Excellence during this special year of Israeli’s 70th anniversary of Independence were two alumnae of Ohr Torah Stone’s Midreshet Lindenbaum College for Women: Corporal Ofra Ehrlich, who serves Army Radio (Galei Tzahal) as coordinator of the news staff and reporter for aliya and absorption, as well as another young woman whose name was not authorized for publication.
Ehrlich, a graduate of Ulpanat Ofra, studied in the “Midrashit” program, part of Midreshet Lindenbaum’s Claudia Cohen Torah/Army School (Hadas) for women who wish to strengthen themselves with intense Torah
studies prior to and during the course of their IDF military service. Ehrlich chose to serve in the IDF and specifically in Army Radio out of a desire to make an impact and to introduce a wider range of voices into the media. An IDF statement relating to awardee choices explains that “Ofra fills her position with maturity, responsibility, creativity and independent thought, in the best manner possible, while consistently exhibiting good interpersonal skills. She has extremely high personal abilities, is principled and thorough, and as such represents an exemplary model.”
Rabbi Ohad Teharlev, Director of Israeli programs at Midreshet Lindenbaum, says “About both our students who received the President’s Award for Excellence one can say, ‘Eshet Chayil,’ in every sense. The soldier whose name has not been authorized for publication completed eleven tractates during her studies in our Hadas Program,” he says, “and both young women are consistent ‘doer’ personalities. As soldiers, they are sanctifying the name of God for multitudes, and they are a source of inspiration for their friends and for all religious young women in their contribution to the State of Israel and its security. This is the proof that one can learn Torah in a serious manner and to be a religious woman of valor in the IDF, and as such, to truly synthesize between ‘Am Yisrael’ and ‘Torat Yisrael’.
