Ahrele 2

I have always been a man of dreams. Of vision,
hope and faith. From a very young age, I
remember holding on to my dreams and drawing
from them the strength to cope, to overcome
difficulties and to keep trying. Throughout my
life, I've seen, more than once, that dreams
sometimes do come true – mostly for those who
believe and pray that the day will come when
they will indeed come true.
This book tells the story of an old childhood
dream of mine…

We are old friends. I've met you numerous times: on the pages of As Long as I
Live, when you listened to my speeches, and most recently, approximately half a year
ago, when you read about my childhood in Ahrele 1.
I'm sure you recall: I was a handicapped child who stuttered. Insensitive children
laughed at me behind my back (and I ignored them, pretending not to have heard)
and sometimes even to my face. They laughed at my handicap and at the way I
spoke. For a long time, I cried hot tears under my blanket.
But it was there, under my blanket – amidst hundreds of hours of crying but also
hundreds of hours of thinking and introspection – that I made a stronger-thansteel
life's decision: "I, handicapped little Ahrele Margalit – will become big and
free! I, rejected, abandoned Ahrele Margalit – will have the strength to escape this
situation! I must learn to walk and I must learn to talk. With Hashem's help, I'll be
just like everyone else!"
Till this very day, this decision guides me and gives me the strength to keep going.
From the deepest place in my heart, I want to say to you, dear, sweet boys and girls:
If I succeeded, with Hashem's help, to be cured of my terrible stutter – every one of
you can achieve many of your hopes and dreams.
I have faith in your ability and pray for your success!