|
|
September 14, 2006
21 Elul 5766
Dear Parents,
A week has passed and Machon Maayan is off to an amazing start.
The young women landed safely in Israel last Monday and were greeted
in Ben Gurion airport by the seminary’s administrators, madrichot,
and representatives of the OU and the Jewish Agency. When the
students arrived in Beit Shemesh, they were overjoyed to see the
beautiful Machon Maayan dormitories and after unloading their many
suitcases (and we really mean many!), they made their way to the
school building for a delicious supper. Rabbi Kosowsky, the Director
of Machon Maayan, Rabbi Cohen, the former Director General of the OU
in Israel, and Menachem Persoff, Machon Maayan’s Executive Director,
welcomed the students to the Machon Maayan family. The students
spent the rest of the evening unpacking their things and acclimating
themselves to their new surroundings and friends.
Tuesday morning began with a very informative and thorough
Orientation session. Afterwards, the students boarded the bus for an
afternoon excursion to Jerusalem where they learned about ancient and
modern Jerusalem from the breathtaking viewpoint of the Haas
Promenade. From that site, the students traced the footsteps of
personalities such as Abraham and King David and eventually made
their way into the Old City of Jerusalem for the school’s first visit
to the Kotel (Western Wall). The students participated in the ritual
of kri’ah - tearing a shirt - in response to seeing the Temple Mount
in destruction. Time was spent at the Kotel davening, leaving notes
in the Wall, and internalizing this very inspiring experience.
Supper was served when the students returned to Beit Shemesh and a
meeting with the Eim Bayit (House Mother), Meryl-Lee Avraham,
followed.
Wednesday morning brought another session of Orientation. After
lunch, the students headed back to Jerusalem and spent the day
touring the City of David. The City of David has incredible
archeological finds dating to the period of Abraham. The students
learned of the story of King David and his conquest of Jerusalem and
were amazed to see the foundations of King David’s palace. The tour
ended with a ½ kilometer walk through a water tunnel that was built
by King Chizkiyahu, just before the Assyrians laid siege to the city.
After the tour, the students had free time in modern day Jerusalem.
Thursday was time for buckling down – Sample week had begun!
The students began to sample a wide array of classes in order to give
them more insight on how to set up their academic schedule for the
first semester. By the time sample week is over, the students will
have investigated some of the following classes: Israel Today, Themes
in Sefer Bereishit, The Torah’s Master Plan, Modern Israel, Dynamic
Leadership Workshops, Women in the Bible, Oral Law under Attack,
Amida, Practical Laws of Shabbat, Minhagim, Rashi/Ramban debates,
Survey of Jewish History, Judaism in the 21st Century, Prayer, Am
Segula – The Chosen People, Controversial Topics in Tanach,
Chassidic Thought, Aggadata, Torat Eretz Yisrael, Chain of
Transmission, The Jewish Woman in the Modern World, Discover,
Contemporary Jewish Law, Spiritual Growth, Parsha Beginnings,
Tehillim, Judaism 101.5, Pirkei Avot and Berachot.
Our first Shabbat together was incredible! The students were guests
in the King Solomon Hotel in Jerusalem and just before candle
lighting, they were presented with Chumashim as a gift from the
Machon Maayan staff. The young women then proceeded to the Kotel for
Kabbalat Shabbat. Friday night supper was followed by an Oneg that
featured a comedy performance by Yisrael Campell, an inspirational
comedian who shares with his audience his personal story of religious
growth. Shabbat morning was spent in the OU Israel Center where the
students davened and were then treated to a delicious Kiddush (with
cholent and potato kugel), followed by an inspirational shiur by
Rabbi Ben Tzion Goldfischer, our Mashgiach Ruchani. The young women
returned to the Old City for Seudat Shleishit; they ate, sang, and
were inspired by Rabbi Avi Berman, the current Director General of
the OU in Israel, on a rooftop overlooking the Kotel and the Temple
Mount. Thanks to Gabi Binstock, Leah Ciner, Sari Yekutieli, and
Hannah Sorkin for delivering Divrei Torah at the Shabbat Meals!
On Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday of this week, the students have
continued to sample classes in the mornings, and in the afternoons
they have begun to visit the various internships that they can
participate in for this year.
We look forward with great excitement to be able to teach, learn
with, and experience the Land of Israel this year with your
children. Thank you again for entrusting them with us for this coming
year.
Shana Tova,
Rabbi Ira Kosowsky
Rabbi Ben Tzion Goldfischer
Meryl-Lee Avraham
|
