Aliza Hersch is from Woodmere, NY, went to SKA for high school, spent a year in MMY, and is now studying in Stern College. Aliza’s been having an incredible summer being able to give back to the program that made such an impact on her as a camper!

Aliza’s chaburah is called “Life is a Highway: Your Road Trip to Greatness.” The chaburah takes different aspects of a road trip and uses them to impart all kinds of life lessons. Some examples include: checking the weather corresponding to the power of perspective, pot holes and the impact of the small things in life, patience through traffic, and car music teaching the value in every individual. Aliza loves getting to learn with and from the girls in her chaburah, and hopes the lessons they learn together can serve as guiding perspectives through each of their personal life journeys!

Aliza feels so privileged to have these amazing girls in her homeroom: Shira Galler (Woodmere, NY) Eta Jacobson (Woodmere, NY) Avigail Rosenwasser (Chicago, IL) Aliza Rothman (Woodmere, NY)

If you could take a road trip anywhere where would you go and why?

Shira: Florida- it’s so beautiful there!

Eta: I’d stay here in Israel!

Avigail: I would go to New York City because I’ve never been there before!

Aliza: I’d go cross country so I can see different places and learn from everyone!

Madison Schechter is from Woodmere, New York and is starting her senior year at Stern College for Women in NYC this fall. She is majoring in Judaic Studies but is studying to one day BE”H become a nurse practitioner. Before college, she had the privilege of spending a year and a half learning Torah in Tiferet located in Ramat Beit Shemesh. This is Madison’s very first summer on Michlelet and she is super excited to be joining the Michlelet family!

The incredible and inspiring girls in Madison’s chaburah are: Talia Schlesinger (Monsey), Evelyn Sutton (Brooklyn), Leora Fenster (Lawrence), Chani Berger (Queens), Chavy Weisz (Monsey). The title of Madison’s chaburah is “Istakel Bi’Oraisa Vi’Bareh Alma” AKA Torah is the blue print of the world. In her chaburah she goes through different ways in which the Torah guides us, shows us, how to improve our relationship with Hashem and how those guidelines are also physically manifested in the world in every which way. The message she hopes to impart is that the Torah’s lessons can be found in all aspects of life, from the most simple mundane things to the deep and complex. All we have to do is make the conscious effort to recognize those messages that are constantly around us because it is a key part in building our relationship with the Ribono Shel Olam. What is your favorite emoji and why? Talia Schlesinger: ☃ the snowman emoji- because snow can be looked at negatively, as an annoyance or it can be used for the positive, to help build something that couldn’t exist without it! There’s a way to uplift everything in life and use it to connect to HaShem we just need to have the right mindset!! It just depends on your attitude! Evelyn Sutton: ? the present emoji- because firstly, presents are always great. Secondly, we have to know that in life everything is a gift from HaShem and we can’t take anything that He gives us for granted. Appreciate all the gifts from HaShem!! Leora Fenster: ?? because I love going to israel and spending my summer here!! Chani Berger: ? I love the guitar emoji, for one because it reminds me of music which is awesome. And also because its a way you can express your feelings and it’s very personal to every person that listens to it. Chavy Weisz: I love ? because you take all the ingredients, which individually aren’t amazing and combine it for an amazing end product 🙂

Today was a meaningful day on Michlelet. Two trips took place, a trip to Chevron and a trip to Yad Vashem and Har Hertzel.

In Chevron, we went of a tour explaining the history of Chevron and then watched a movie about the importance of ancestry and continuing the chain. We then had the special opportunity of hearing from Rabbi Benyamin Yudin before entering Ma’aras Hamachpela.

In Yad Vashem, we had a very moving experience. We were given a powerful tour by Rav Chanoch Teller, which brought more meaning to our understanding of the Holocaust. We then headed to Har Herzel where we were given the privilege to daven by the kevarim of the IDF soldiers who gave their lives defending our home land, the land of Israel.

Both trips then met by the Kotel to say some Tehilim/daven mincha and then we loaded the buses once again to our final destination – ODT (out door training) and team building! This was a great was to end our day, working together to overcome challenges and tasks during the team building experience.

We ended the night with a dairy dinner in the park with delicious pastas and salads, and yummy water melon for dessert!! Thank you for another great day!

Meet Becca Rauch from Lawrence, New York. She attended SKA for High School and Michlalah for seminary. Becca is currently studying in Queens College and is having an incredible summer on Michlelet.

Becca’s chabura is on incorporating the leaders of our generation into our lives. She mainly focuses on the middos we can practically take from Rebbetzin Machlis and Rebbetzin Kanievsky. Becca hopes that her chabura will allow the girls to look to our leaders and have them as role models. It is extremely important to lean on our tzadikkim as is says in Shemonah Esrei, “al hatzadikkim…”

The girls in Becca’s chabura are Arianna Balk(NJ), Arielle Lipsky(NY), Tamar Herschberg(NY), Ayelet Wein(NY).

What is one thing you have noticed in your summer so far that you have taken from learning about our two rebbetzins?

Arianna-“No matter how difficult something can get or hard something can be to deal with to always know that Hashem has a plan and that theres so much more to the situation and to the world than we realize.”

Ayelet- “I learned from rebbetzin machlis it doesn’t matter how someone was brought up to be an amazing person and a role model.”

Arielle- “I learned that there is always a positive side of a person. Even if you think that there is nothing positive to someone, you have to have an eyin tova and look for the positive in everyone.”

Tamar- “That just like Rebbetzin machlis was a ‘normal’ kid-she went to central- she became amazing and transformed herself. So just like she did so could I.

Today we had our first Yom Iyun of the summer: iDay – Swipe to unlock your best self, regarding the roll technology plays in our lives.  The day began with an introduction shiur by Rabbi Benovitz, Director of NCSY Kollel.  We then split up into small groups and did round robin style as we heard from different madrichot about the pros and cons of technology, how to use technology properly, and more. We ended the Yom Iyun by writing letters to our future children. 

In the afternoon, we had regular afternoon chaburot and teacher shiurim. During free time there was an optional trip to Kever Rochel. It was a very moving trip to experinece on Rosh Chodesh Av.

After dinner, we heard from Rabbi Noam Fix followed by beautiful late night learning. Night activity was a blast from the past as we had an awesome science fair. Topping off our fully packed day, we ended our night with a Camper vs Madricha basketball game…won by the campers!! Another day well spent on Michlelet 5777!

We had the tremendous opportunity to do chessed on Michlelet today. Our day started off with davening and breakfast as usual, which then lead into our chaburahs! We had an early lunch and then boarded the busses and headed to two different locations- a gan and a youth center, where we had an amazing time repainting both places, leaving them looking close to brand new! When we got back to campus we had some free time before hearing from Shoshana Schechter, a professor at Stern College. We then enjoyed a pizza dinner sponsored by YU. After dinner, we heard from Mrs. Elisheva Kaminestky and had Michlelet’s first ever Annual Spelling Bee, going along with this weeks theme, The Past. Today was truly another great day on Michlelet!

Jordana Levine is from Woodmere, New York. She went to SKA for high school and spent her year in Israel at Tiferet. Jordana is currently studying in Stern College for Women and is very excited to be spending her first summer on Michlelet!

Jordana’s chaburah is about the Asseret Hadibrot. She goes through each dibrah and expands on them allowing the girls to connect to each one. Jordana hopes that by the end of her chaburot the girls will feel that the Asseret Hadibrot are timeless and relevant to the world that we live in.

The girls in Jordana’s chaburah are:
Adina Strong (NJ)
Penina Rosenbaum (FL)
Eliana Teichman (NJ)
Shani Klier (NY)

What was the best experience you have had in Israel?

Adina- Swimming with dolphins in Eilat I was able to recognize the beauty of the yam suf and I connected to it because that Is where my ancestors crossed through. It really brought Tanach to life and strengthened my love for Israel.

Penina- One of my favorite experiences of this summer so far was the special Shana Bet scavenger hunt through the old city. It was something I’ve never done before and enjoyed learning new facts about the area while having a great time with my friends.

Eliana- My favorite moment on michlelet was when the TJJ Ambassadors came to join our learning and activities. Together we made a bridal shower, learned together, and heard inspiring speeches. Not only was this an educational experience for TJJ, but this was an amazing learning experience for me as well.

Shani- I really liked going to yad eliezer Because I got to help so many people without even realizing and I had fun at the same time.