Madeline Hartranft

I grew up going to a Reform synagogue, but my parents were always growing.  They went on an Aish Israel trip and got really inspired, and then got involved with Aish.  They ended up going to a modern Orthodox synagogue when I was middle school and high school.  So we were always growing and examining.

My dad actually converted to Judaism when I was really young.  My mom's side is from what is now the Ukraine.  My great-grandfather had a sort of Rachel/Leah situation.  He came to America and wrote back to his shtetle, to a certain family, asking for them to send their younger daughter for him to marry.  Instead they sent their older daughter, whom he married!

I heard about it from my now-chavrusa Mrs Bexley Lyss, who is also an experienced engineer.  When Bexley heard about TPF, she brought the idea to me and thought it would be great for us to start.

I was really surprised.  I didn't really believe it at first.  But (once I realized it was for real,) I was super-happy that I was getting rewarded because, you know, you do have to take time out of your day to learn...

I had some chavrusos before I started TPF, so I think I would have done it, but I will say that TPF made us learn much more regularly.  I was less motivated; ok, we'll learn once a month, whatever.  But now I really try to stick to once a week and (through the stipend) I'm getting some positive reinforcement to do that!

It took some time to figure out what I was going to listen to, and when.  At first I thought I could listen while I was driving, or on the treadmill.  Then I realized that I had to take notes, otherwise when I met up with Bexley I would completely forget what the podcast was about!  So I started taking notes, which really helped jog my memory when I would give over what I learned.

I really like listening to Nilli Couzens and Charlie Harary.  I like hearing women speaking; to me it feels really relatable.  Nilli speaks about the power of Jewish women, which is empowering to me as a female in a male-dominated university path (and one day, career).  Charlie Harary is a great speaker. He always gets his point across and is very relatable.

TPF has really helped me in my Jewish growth and understanding.  As I said earlier, it makes me feel motivated to have set up a regular chavrusa.  When I learn before a holiday, I'll try to listen to a podcast about the holiday; then when I'm at Chabad or in my shul I'm thinking back to what I learned about that holiday.  The same with learning about everyday life and reflecting back on what I've learned.  Also, it connects me with Bexley, who is such a good influence on my life.

I feel more connected to the Jewish community now.  The learning is motivating me to move to a bigger Jewish community once I graduate (Ed note: Madeline is currently in Israel on a guided learning trip)

“TPF for me is the needed motivation and push to set some time aside--with a college student's busy schedule--for your own Jewish growth and learning, and connecting with a mentor who really is a mentor you can look up to.  And it's just a wealth of resources that you can explore with your mentor, to put some time aside to focus on YOU as a Jewish woman (or man)”.