February 15, 2007 / 27 Shevat 5767

“I’m studying accounting so I know all about balancing budgets. When I crunched the numbers I could see no way that I was going to survive financially this academic year. Just when I was in despair I heard about the Jewish Agency scholarships.”

Roi Fatal, 24, had to retake some of his exams in late July so he was unable to work in the early weeks of the summer. Then came the second Lebanon war and 25 days of reserve duty. When he was demobilized, his exams were rescheduled for September. Between the war and the rescheduling of his exams, Roi had no opportunity to work and save money over the summer.

“But I was determined not to give up on my studies,” explains Roi, a second year accountancy and business administration student at the Tel Aviv College of Management. “I just prayed for a miracle and it came along in the shape of assistance from Jews around the world through the Jewish Agency. Sometimes you’ve got to believe.”

One of five brothers, Roi was born and raised in Petach Tikvah. During the war he served in a special Home Front unit. His job was to locate the sites in northern Israel where Hezbollah missiles had landed and then go into the field to collect shrapnel and assess initial damage to people and property.

Back in civilian clothing, Roi has now returned to his studies. “I have very clear aims in life. I want to become a certified public accountant and have my own firm. Now, thanks in part to the Jewish Agency scholarship, I am closer to achieving my ambition."