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Keren Tendler's Legacy Lives On  Yahli Shitrit is awarded The Keren Tendler Scholarship Award Yahli Shitrit, a 22-year-old student at Be’er Sheva’s Sami Shamoon College of Engineering, is the recipient of this year’s Keren Tendler Scholarship. “ORT America congratulates Yahli for being chosen this year’s recipient of the Keren Tendler Scholarship Ward. Your service to your country and pursuit of an engineering degree exemplify the spirit and purpose of this honor,” said Linda Kirschbaum, the organization’s National President. The scholarship was set up by World ORT, with funds from ORT America, in memory of Master Sergeant Keren Tendler z”l. Keren was the IDF’s first on-flight mechanic. Tragically, at age 26, she became the first Israeli woman soldier to die on active duty since the Yom Kippur War when her helicopter was shot down by Hezbollah during the Second Lebanon War in 2006. The scholarship is intended to encourage young women to follow Keren’s trailblazing example of pursuing male-dominated technological fields of study and is awarded annually to a young woman “who has studied or is studying engineering and who has or will be serving in the Israeli military in a technical role.” Yahli, who until recently served in an Iron Dome unit, will resume her military service on completing her engineering degree. “Keren Tendler is a well-known name; it’s very inspiring and empowering to be awarded a scholarship in her name. I’m very moved to have been chosen. Thank you,” Yahli said at the award ceremony at Bar Ilan University attended by Keren’s parents, Rivana and Dan. A committee representing the Tendler family, World ORT Kadima Mada and Perach, a non-profit organization that matches thousands of Israeli students with children who need educational and social mentors, chose Yahli from a shortlist of Perach volunteers. The committee felt that Yahli honored Keren’s example of not allowing gender to be an obstacle to serving her country. Alon Galron, Perach’s Executive Director said: “Keren Tendler’s contribution to tikkun olam continues through the giving of this award.” |
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