Ayelet Shachar is from Queens,NY. After attending SKA, she spent a year and a half learning at Shaalvim for Women and is currently finishing up her degree at Queens College.
Ayelet is so excited to be back on Michlelet for her second summer as Madricha! She feels incredibly lucky to spend these weeks in Eretz Yisrael learning with and from the incredible girls on Michlelet! This includes the fabulous girls in Ayelet’s Chaburah: Natalie Barbanel (Lawrence), Bracha Gewirtz (Monsey), Vivvi Lewis (Woodmere) and Chavi Zelefsky (Monsey).
Ayelet’s chaburah is called “Build a בת Workshop”. The Chaburah is based off the idea that every mitzvah corresponds to a body part and that a person can only become an אדם שלם by pursuing all types of mitzvot and middot. Just as every limb and organ is essential,so too each mitzvah we have been given is essential in our service of Hashem and in becoming our best selves.Each day,the girls delve into a different body part and the corresponding middot or mitzvot related to it. Topics covered include the middah of Ayin Tova for the eyes,the importance of Torah learning in correspondence to the head, the significance of washing Negel Vaaser in relation to the hands and so forth. Through learning together, the girls hope to better understand Torat Hashem, have a stronger sense of self awareness, cultivate a feeling of responsibility for the world around us and to ultimately strengthen their shmirat hamitzvot and connection to each mitzvah and middah in a practical way for their daily lives.
If you could add one person from Jewish History to our chaburah, who would it be and why?
Natalie Barbanel: The Abarbanel because of his incredible insights on the tanach. I think that it would be cool to see what he can add especially because of what a Talmud chachum he is and because he is an ancestor of mine :).
Bracha Gewirtz: Chana because she revolutionized tefillah and that’s a mitzvah that I really connect with and I would love to talk to her! Also because she was so emotionally strong and capable.
Vivvi Lewis: Moshe Rabbeinu – I feel a connection to Moshe because even though he has a speech impediment, he was able to become one of the biggest leaders to the Jewish people. His speech impediment didn’t stop him from doing what ‘ה had intended for him to achieve, and he was able to make the most of his life, and because of that he was looked up to for his rest of his life. Moshe inspires me because he taught me that even though I have a speech impediment I can accomplish anything I put my mind to, like he did.
Chavi Zelefsky: Shlomo Hamelech because he was and is the wisest person to ever exist and I would love to hear what he has to say!