Dear Michlelet NCSY Parents,

There are so many powerful and special moments that take place here on Michlelet NCSY. We have had another amazing week, with an extraordinary Shabbos in Chispin, trips to Ein Gedi, Masada, Kayaking up North, Chatzbani Water Hike, Tzfat and so much more. We have experienced meaningful learning with our teachers and madrichot as well and heard from incredibly inspiring speakers such as Rav Eli Skaist, Rav Gav Freedman, Mrs. Sara Leah Haber, Mrs. Leba Schneider and Mrs. Elisheva Kaminetsky.  We have had tons of fun during the plethora of activities offered and hysterically fun night activities. We even had a great time and felt so good as we painted different mo’adoniyot for underprivileged children, so they could have a pleasant happy place to be.   

Even so, reflecting back on our incredible week, there are a few which especially stand out to me, personally.  Allow me to share snapshots of a few.

One such moment was on our boat ride Motzei Shabbos. It is hard to describe the incredible moments we shared there. In the still of the night, in the middle of the Kineret, we sat down on the boat and had a magnificent kumzits. Our voices rose together with unity and real strength. You could hear it resonating outwards to the waters, rising strongly and powerfully together.  Looking around the boat, seeing the earnest faces of all of the girls as we sang together, and listening to how strong the singing was, I was truly moved and inspired. It is a moment that is hard to put into words, but one that is incredibly poignant and etched in my memory. 

It is always very special to host TJJ Ambassadors for two days. It is beautiful to see Michlelet NCSYers host girls from public school who don’t necessarily know so much about Yiddishkeit, many of which have never really interacted with religious girls before. It is wonderful to have them join us in our learning and activities, and see our girls interact with them. But there are two times in particular that stood out as especially moving to me.

One was the moments that TJJA arrived and walked in to our building, with definitely a bit of shyness. What would these Orthodox girls be like? To accurately describe the scene would be impossible but I will try my best. The Michlelet NCSYers, who were standing outside the Beis Medrash, formed arches with their hands and started singing loudly, joyfully and warmly, as they excitedly welcomed the TJJ Ambassadors whom they had never met before.  The Ambassadors, upon seeing this, ran through with looks of surprise and elation, coming out with huge smiles on their faces. I stood on the side, with tears in my eyes as I experienced the beautiful Ahavat Yisrael displayed here.  Our speaker, Rabbi Eli Skaist, spoke about how moving that scene was to him as well.

The next snapshot I would like to share happened the very next day, our second day of hosting TJJA. As some of you may know, on Michlelet NCSY, it has become somewhat of a tradition to make a wedding from scratch for a needy couple. This summer, as well, we will be having that privilege and will be making a wedding the last week of camp, on August 16^th G-d willing. This week, we had the honor of making a bridal shower for our Kallah, Ruti.

In preparation, the Michlelet NCSYers, together with the TJJA girls wrapped presents, decorated a chair for the kallah, the tables, made centerpieces, prepared a choir and transformed the dining room. The kallah was so touched when she received the presents, and even more moved by the beautiful choir. She and her mother were so moved and happy when they thanked me afterwards.

The moments I refer to, that encapsulate it all, however, were ones that can only happen here; moments of complete ahavas chinam, of breaking down barriers and of feeling united with all of the Jewish People. Moments reminiscent of “vayichan sham yisrael neged hahar,” when Klal Yisrael was one, unified as they accepted the Torah and stood at Har Sinai.

After a day of learning Torah with TJJ girls, picture the scene. The backdrop is a room filled with young Jewish women from all different backgrounds from all over the world; a group of Michlelet NCSYers, a group of young ladies from public school from TJJA, and a kallah and her family, a Sefardi, Israeli, family from Ramot.  None of the groups knew each other before, yet once again, the Michlelet NCSYers, this time joined with the TJJAers, formed arches and sang the kallah in when she arrived. The very second they met the kallah, they welcomed her, danced with her and were completely happy for her. The scene was one of pulsating energy. Of loud, joyful, singing and dancing , circles moving in and out of each other, voices strong, coming together to be mesameach this kallah. This is what it means to truly feel part of Am Yisrael.

This was a week in which our Michlelet NCSYers learned, toured, had fun and did chessed. But most importantly, they experienced what it means to be true leaders and to lead with passion, warmth and commitment. They learned to be proud of who they are, and to love a fellow Jew, simply because they are a Jew.

We are looking forward to another uplifting week together next week, when we return from our Shabbos Off.

Have a wonderful Shabbos,

With best regards from the Holy Land,

Rivka Yudin

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