Today was such an awesome day on michlelet!! We started off the eventful day with a gourmet hotel breakfast. Then headed to refreshing banana boating and water tubing. We enjoyed pizza for lunch, and a special BBQ for dinner. To finish off the day we went to the kever of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness which was a very meaningful experience! What a jam packed day and we can’t wait for late wake up tomorrow morning 🙂

-Bayla K., FL

Tehila Kornwasser is from Teaneck, New Jersey. She went to Bruriah for high school, MMY for seminary, and is currently in Stern College majoring in Jewish Studies. Her chaburah develops a deeper understanding of the themes in Shmoneh Esrei through Tanach, Chazal, and analysis of the words of Shmoneh Esrei. The awesome girls in her chaburah are Ariela (HANC), Elana (Bruriah), Elia (YGW), Galit (Berman) and Yocheved (MHS).

What is the highlight of your summer so far?

Ariela: My favorite thing was swimming in the Kineret and going jet skiing there.

Elana: The highlight of my summer was going pancaking and banana boating on the כנרת in טבריה.

Galit: The highlight of my summer so far was having a late night mishmar where I could learn Torah and have really meaningful conversations with others

Elia: The highlight of my summer so far has been shabbat on michlelet because it’s packed with zemirot, ruach, and time to recover from a week of fun.

Yocheved: The highlight of my summer was meurat hamachpeila, because it was so powerful and inspirational.

Best. Day. Ever. We woke up so early and went on a water hike!! We had tons of water fights and it was so refreshing and fun!! After that I went repelling of a cliff. The experience was not normal and something I won’t forget!! To end off the day, I went on an insane jeep ride with the chillest Israeli driver!! Overall, the day was amazing and I’m looking forward to more days like these!!

-Aliza Wiederkehr, Bergenfield NJ

Eliana Frankel is from Ramat Bet Shemesh, Israel. Eliana attended Pninei Chein High School and afterwards spent two incredible years at Michlalah. She is currently studying Industrial Engineering and Management at Machon Tal. This is Eliana’s first summer on Michlelet and she is so excited to be here for the summer. Her Chabura is on the topic of Birchos Hashachar, exploring the depth of the daily morning Tefillah. Each Chabura goes thru the brachos and uncovers the layers hidden in the meaning of the bracha. The girls walk out of the Chabura understanding the power of each individual bracha and how they can relate to the meaning, allowing them to have kavanah while reciting the brachos in the morning and gain a deeper grasp on foundational ideas in Yiddishkeit. The fabulous girls in her Chabura are: Lily (KTA), Arielle (SKA), Ahuva (TAG), Michali (Derech Emunah), and Leah (MHS).

What is your favorite Jewish song and why?

Lily- My favorite song is Kol Barama because first of all I think it’s a gorgeous song and second because of its translations (or at least the ones I saw online) and how it talks about Rachel crying out to Hashem to save bnei Yisrael as they passed her and how her tears and teffilah for bnei yisrael reach Hashem in a way that most others don’t and so it just goes to shows the power of ones tefillah.

Michali- It’s so hard for me to pick a favorite jewish song because there’s constantly music playing in my house and i love all of it. If I had to pick it would be either סיבת הסיבות by Ishay Ribo or Hakol Mishamayim by Mordechai Shapiro because those are my brothers favorites and he always plays them.

Arielle- My favorite song would be כתר מלוכה by Yishai Ribo.
This past year and a half has been a year of many different emotions. We’ve had our schools shut down, quarantines, and a year without seeing family. As Jews, we know that there is something that Hashem is trying to teach us through this all. Yishai Ribo beautifully expresses this in the chorus of his song. מה אתה רוצה שנבין מזה? Hashem, what do you want us to understand from all this? I think this message is something that we should all take with us. Even if we may not see the reason for what’s happening, we must realize that Hashem has a reason behind it all. Our job is to dig deeper to uncover what we are being told.

Leah- My favorite Jewish song is A Yid Never Breaks because it captures the essence of a Jew – that we are resilient and have Hashem to guide us always.

Ahuva- My favorite song is mayim rabim by derech achim bc it rlly speaks to me bc the words are so touching and remind me of my past and why I live in this world which is to serve Hashem.

Atara Weinberg is from the 5t (Woodmere). She went to North Shore for high school, Midreshet Moriah for seminary, and is currently a student in Touro. The title of her chaburah is Exploring Yiddishkeit Through Emojis. Each emoji represents a different middah or mitzvah. For example the glasses emoji is related to the power of perspective (Ayin Tova). Her Chaburah is made up of some of the most amazing girls in my chaburah: Tamar (Shulamith), Avigail (Naaleh), Tamara (Ulpana), Yali (SKA).

What is your favorite mitzvah and why?

Tamara- My favorite Mitzvah is bikor Cholim since it can really help brighten someone’s day and you can be the reason that they smile.

Tamar- My favorite mitzvah is davening because I feel it’s when I connect with hashem the most. It helps build and strengthen my relationship with him on a deeper level.

Avigail- My favorite mitzvah is Kavod Shabbos, doing things to honor shabbos because it is soemthing I enjoy very much. Shabbos is a time when we are closest to Hashem and doing things to honor Him and his day of rest is something that really speaks to me. I feel that it brings me closer to Hashem each time I am able to do it.

Yali- Shabbos because I get to spend time with my family and have no distractions.

Today has been an awesome day on michlelet! We started the day off right with davening, chaburah, a teacher shiur and an activity of our choice. That incredible morning was followed by a delicious lunch with a geshmak dance party. Next we had another inspiring Chaburah with another fantastic teacher shiur followed by another activity of our choice. Then, we all went to pack our bags for the amazing over night trip that will IY”H take place on Tuesday night. Our incredibly meaningful and fun day ended off with delicious smoothies from the one and only REBAR! We then enjoyed a delicious dinner and boarded the busses for everyone’s favorite YOM NCSY!! We had the best time jumping dancing and singing together at the most geshmak concert of our lives!! We can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring:)

-Shira Kroopnick, Bergenfield, NJ

This Tisha B’Av that I experienced on Michlelet was by far the most meaningful Tisha B’Av that I have ever experienced. After hearing Eicha and reciting a few Kinos at the Lev campus, we went up to the roof of their building and had an extremely meaningful presentation. Following that, we sang songs that really put me into the proper mindset. Singing under the open sky, I was able to look up and feel a close connection to HaShem; realizing that the Ribono Shel Olam is right there, listening to us all as we pour out our hearts to Him. The meaningful programming continued into today, as we recited Kinos with meaningful insights from our Madrichot. We ended the day as we started it. We had a Kumzitz with the girls from the Lev campus, here in Reishit, and then we sang as we walked down the steps on the way to the Chadar Ochel, to hear Havdalah and break our fasts. May next Tisha B’Av be a day of Simcha as we all gather together in the Beit HaMikdash.

-Arielle Rosman, North Woodmere, NY

This morning I woke up at 4:30 to Daven Vasikin at Kever Rochel. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I knew I had to take it. Davening Shacharis there was an out of this world experience that no words can describe. Someone even had to pull me away in the middle of davening so I didn’t miss my bus! You would think getting almost no sleep would ruin your day but instead this turned out to be an experience that I will remember forever.

-Ariella Mosak, North Woodmere, NY

Hi, my name is Tzivie Spigelman and I’m from Ramat Beit Shemesh.
I went to Pninei Chein for high school and then for seminary I went to Michlalah for 2 years. Iy”H I’ll be starting nursing school this fall.
My chaburah is called “Exploring Eretz Yisrael” and we discuss topics such as the special mitzvos of Eretz Yisrael, the beauty of the land, תורת ארץ ישראל, and Eretz Yisrael as Hashem’s chosen land.

The girls in Tzivie’s Chaburah are Ariella (Chorev), Sheva (KTA), Esther (Naaleh), Rachi (TAG), and Talia (Maimonidies). 

Ariella: Mint chocolate chip- it’s a really good flavor and also a fun color.

Sheva: My go to is Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream because u could never go wrong with cookie dough.

Esther: cookies and cream.

Rachi: To be honest I don’t really have a set favorite ice cream flavor, it really changes day to day. It’s fun not being tied to one flavor because I love trying all the different and interesting ones! (even if they aren’t always amazing)
Having a great time on Michlelet!

Talya: Strawberry because me and my dad use to always go and get strawberry ice cream together and it became my favorite.