Sonia Lhungdim
Hello!
My name is Sonia… The name my parents gave me at birth and I don’t know why! People love to ask me why… “Because Sonia is a Russian name!” I didn’t know how to answer them except to say that in Indian, the name means “My dear”!
I came on Aliya on August 10, 1999 together with my family, coming directly to Kiryat Arba, because until then my eldest sister lived there ever since making Aliya in 1993. She married in Israel, started a family and lives happily with her husband and three children! So, we stayed by her for a half year.
During this time, we studied Hebrew at the Kiryat Arba Community Center. After about four months, I was enrolled at the Kiryat Arba Ulpanah for Girls. I began studies in 8th grade. This was a year I shall never forget for the rest of my life, due to problems with the Hebrew language. So, I was so quiet, never uttering a word and never wrote anything.
During 2004, I worked about 4 months in a kindergarten in Gush Etzion. After all this, I began [my] National Service [working] at a nursery near home. I loved working there. I gained a lot of experience and initiative!
After a year, the Shavei Israel organization opened several courses to assist us in getting ahead with our daily lives. So, I joined a cosmeticians course in the “Noya” School. I had many advantages by choosing this course because I learned much more than I expected. I gained a great deal of self-confidence. Through all of this, I better understood the way of life. That is to say, how this life takes its course. As I always say, “Everything is a guide for life.” Therefore, everything truly happens for the better.
With the end of the cosmetician’s course, the Shavei Israel organization was looking for instructors for new immigrants that they were bringing from India a rumor. So, with all due respect, why not return the favor to the same organization that aided me in so many things? Indeed, I gave my name to Rabbi Hanoch Avitzedek, who accompanied us along our entire course.
Regards,
Sonia Lehongadim