Rabbi Gotch Yudin delivers the opening speech after the arrival of TJJA who we are privileged to host at Michlelet this week!

Molly grew up in Chicago, IL and currently lives in New York City where she attends Touro College. She is majoring in graphic design and served as the graphic design intern at NCSY’s national office. Molly is also an advisor for Midwest NCSY. She came on Michlelet as a camper 4 years ago and is extremely happy to be back as a madricha for the second time.

The awesome NCSYers in Molly’s chabura are Miri Fried (Woodmere, NY), Sarah Mammon (Toronto, Canada), Zahava Margulis (Chicago, IL), and Naomi Chaimowitz (Monsey, NY).

Molly’s chabura is on Pirkei Avos. Her chabura covers many different topics of daily life and the girls learn how to take practical lessons from the sefer. Some of the topics covered so far include friendship, humility, and true happiness.

The main goal of Molly’s chabura is to teach the ideas in an interesting way allowing each girl to contribute. Molly- “I love to hear what everyone else has to say so we can learn from all of our different perspectives.” Molly strives to give over her chabura in an open minded and accepting environment where each girl can flourish in her learning. She hopes that her NCSYers will leave with a deeper understanding of Pirkei Avos and with added meaning to their lives.

Miri: “I love the girls on Michlelet because I know that the friendships that I have made here will last a lifetime.”

Sarah: “I like how everyone is really accepting and non-judgmental.”

Zahava: “I love the chesed trips because we have so much fun while we are also doing a huge mitzvah. Also I like the tomatoes.”

Naomi: “I love ALL the parts of the Michlelet experience.” 

We capped off an unbelievable in-shabbos for Shabbos Nachamu with an awesome Melave Malka tonight!!!!!!!!!!

Check out our pictures from tonight and don’t forget to watch our weekly recap video!

Stay tuned for updates about our amazing jam packed week ahead!

Rikki, from Toronto Canada, is thrilled to be experiencing her very first summer on Michlelet NCSY! 

The NCSYers in Rikki’s chabura are Elisheva Rothberg (Teaneck, NJ), Adira Shiff (Toronto, Canada), Basia Kurtz (Lawrence, NY), and Aliza Lobell (New York, NY).

The topic of the chabura is “Disney” – learning Torah ideas through various themes and characters found in classic Disney movies. Each chabura focuses on a different middah or hashkafa concept with a discussion of how it may compare or contrast with certain Disney themes. 

The main goal of the chabura is to show that one can learn valuable life lessons from everything in this world. Disney is filled with many of these lessons – both for the good and for the bad. Hopefully we will come out of this summer with a greater appreciation of the influence that they can have on our thoughts and behaviour and a heightened sensitivity to be able to pick up on them. 

Adira Shiff: “Every aspect of Michlelet is exciting and inspiring. It really helps you grow in every way!”

Elisheva Rothberg: “In Rikki’s chabura we learn that there are lessons that we can learn from in every aspect of life – even Disney. Rikki is the best madricha! I’m so happy to be in her chabura.”

Basia Kurtz: “My favourite chessed trip we went on was to Beit Elazraki children’s orphanage because we really to to connect with the children and we had a huge impact on their day.”

Aliza Lobell: “The most amazing aspect of Michlelet is that although each girl from from different backgrounds we feel as one family who have come together for an incredible summer!” 

It’s hard to believe I am sitting here writing our THIRD weekly update already!!  What a whirlwind of different emotions and types of activities we have taken part in this week; but what an exceptional, special, meaningful week it was!
 
Sunday morning, we started off the day with a beautiful chessed trip. We headed to Tel Aviv, to Yad Lekashish, a center which is essentially a factory for people who are blind, deaf or have other disabilities.  At Yad Lekashish, they eat breakfast together and have each other’s company and then work in the factory together, where they produce faucets for places like Home Depot across the country. When we got there, the Michlelet NCSYers first watched a video explaining to them a little more about the place they were in. Then, they helped and worked alongside the people there, putting together parts of faucets with them, talking to them and spending time with them. This was a follow-up to last week’s trip to The Dialogue in The Dark where we gained a greater sensitivity towards people who cannot see; it was very special to put those feelings into action and do a beautiful chessed.  In the meanwhile, the shana beters took children from Alei Siach, with special needs, on an outing to the Kotel. It was so nice for the kids to go out on the special trip, bonding with our girls.
 
After lunch, we had a great afternoon of learning with our special teachers and madrichot. Then, we had privilege of having a visit from Mrs. Vivianne Luchins, chairwoman of the OU Youth Commission’s Summer Programs Committee, and to hear from Dr. David Luchins, founding dean of Touro’s Lander College and senior vice-president of the Orthodox Union. After he spoke to us, we davened Mincha and everyone got to choose from the many activities offered;  choir, drama, ultimate frisbee, volleyball, pioneering and zumba.
 
In the evening after dinner, for our Night Speaker, we had the honor of hearing from Rabbi Jason Knappel, popular teacher in Shaalvim for Women, Amit and Midreshet Moriah. He spoke to the girls about the Holocaust and messages and lessons that speak to us. The girls felt very touched by his words.
 
Afterwards, we had a fantastic Night Activity of Shtetel Night!! We took the girls back in time, far away from the age of cell phones… to the Shtetel! The girls were grouped up into families and had to go around to different booths in the Shtetel to accomplish various tasks, proving themselves competent at Shtetel life before they could meet the Shtetel’s Rebbe and Rebbetzin. Some examples of tasks to accomplish were drawing water from the well, learning Yiddish, taking family pictures, cooking, sewing etc. At each booth, the girls learned al lesson, halacha or niggun to take with them, aside from all the fun they had there. It was a perfect blend of creativity, learning and fun!
 
Monday morning, we learned with madrichot and teachers and then went to activities such as choir, drama, art, volleyball, cooking, baking, ga-ga and exercise. After lunch, we had a really extraordinary opportunity to hear from a panel of our fellow Michlelet NCSYers in a “Get to Know Your Peers” progam. We heard from Yael Blau, Nikki Feerst, Miriam Isikova, Orly Ohayon, Tamar Rapaport and Allison Weinick.  It was fantastic!!! The girls got to appreciate how every person is a world unto themselves and how much respect we need to have for every person we meet.

 
As I’m sure you heard from all of your daughters, Tish’a B’av was extremely moving and meaningful here.  There is nothing like experiencing Tish’ah B’av in E”Y with such a special staff of madrichot, and such special fellow NCSYers as well, here on Michlelet. Monday night, Rabbi Andi Yudin introduced and read Eicha followed by kinos which were introduced by our Madrichot. Afterwards, we all went out to the porch outside the Beit Midrash, overlooking the hills of Yerushalayim and Beit Shemesh, where we had powerful programs and the most beautiful, heartfelt kumzits.
 
Tuesday morning, until chatzos, we said kinot together in the auditorium. Each kinah was introduced by a madricha, and Rabbi Andi Yudin explained each one as well. How moving that was! After chatzot, we heard a beautiful poignant choir and play put on by our Michlelet NCSYers.
 
During the day, there were appropriate movies with messages of Ahavat Yisroel playing, as well as shiurim offered by Shanie Warman and myself.  We ended the last hour of the fast, sitting in another place on campus, also overlooking the hills surrounding Beit Shemesh, with the sun setting in the background, singing once again.  What a sad but unifying, uplifting feeling we had at the end of the fast.  So many girls said that it was the most moving, powerful Tish’a B’av they had ever experienced.
 
Early Wednesday morning, we were off to our two day Tiyul to Eilat!!! You could feel the excitement in the air.
 
We started off at Kumeran, to watch a short video about the Dead Sea Scrolls which were found. It was very cool to see the caves where everything was found.
 
From there, when chatzos hit, we headed to an INCREDIBLE, FUN, WET!! Water hike at Nachal Arugot! Everyone got to cool off with some wet fun, climbing through a water path, with the water at points up to our hips and knees. Everyone had a blast, cheering, splashing and singing whole time!
 
Then we went repelling in Mitzpeh Rimon and the girls had such a great time repelling down the mountain and watching their friends’ bravery, and cheering each other on. There, we had a yummy, beautiful buffet dinner.
 
In the evening, we reached Eilat and got to our hotel to get a good night’s sleep after our long, fun and busy day.
 
Thursday morning, the girls woke up extra early, for our sunrise hike! Everyone had such a great time hiking up, cheering and singing up and down the mountain.  At the top of the mountain, Har Tzfachot, you were able to see an absolutely breathtaking view of sunrise.  The girls then davened Shacharis, there at the top, where they could see the actual Yam Suf.  After breakfast back at the hotel, it was time for water sports! We went banana boating, kayaking, water rafting, canoeing and swimming and it was such a blast!!
 
After lunch from Big Apple Pizza, which we ate at the gorgeous waterfront, we went on a boat cruise where the boat took everyone to a private place off of the beach, where the girls got to jump off the boat in the water and had a choice of snorkeling or swimming and having fun.  On the boat, there was tons of dancing and singing. Then we drove to Yeruchum where the Michlelet NCSYers were treated to a delicious, upper class barbecue, in a beautiful park.  The girls had an incredibly fantastic time and came home to Reishit exhausted but flying high, having had a fantastic time.
 
Friday morning the girls had a choice of going to the Kotel and/or Meah Shearim.
 
There has been so much talk about upcoming Shabbos Nachamu on Michlelet this Shabbos. Everyone is looking forward to another amazing Shabbos here on Michlelet NCSY, especially after such a powerful week. We are looking forward to a Shabbos of Nechama, bonding, great ru’ach and closeness to Hashem.
 
Once again, please be in touch with feedback or comments and keep looking at our blog for updates, pictures, videos etc.
 
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
 
Mrs. Rivka Yudin
 
Director
 
Michlelet NCSY
 
yudinr@ncsy.org

We had a blast on our 2 day tiyul to Eilat!
We did everything from hiking to banana boating to rappelling to kayaking, you name it! Make sure to check out our photos to see all the fun!

Stay tuned for more!

Have a wonderful shabbos!

Mrs. Yudin shiur on Tisha B’av, “B’sever Panim Yafos”

Tisha Bav Shmooze by Shanie Warman on Ahavas Chinam

Kinnah 45 introduced by Hadassah Tirschwell