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Dear NCSY Michlelet Parents,
I write this letter to you once again on the road; this time, on our way up to the beautiful holy city of Tzfat for Shabbos Nachamu. What a whirlwind of different emotions and types of activities we have taken part in this week; but what an exceptional, extraordinary, meaningful week it was! This week, as well as our time here this summer, has really gotten us in touch with the uniqueness of Klal Yisroel. We’ve been able to attempt to connect to both the depth of pain we have experienced as a nation, as well as feel the height of the joy to be in Eretz Yisrael and be a part of Am Yisrael. From Erev Tisha Bav to Tisha Bav and then to leading up to Shabbos Nachamu, we have deeply connected in each way. This has been our summer experience as well. We have had the tremendous z’chus of being here in times like these, being able to witness what the Jews of Eretz Yisroel are going through, yet we have experienced the elation of learning Torah in Eretz Yisrael, doing chessed here, touring the magnificent land and creating meaningful bonds.
It was wonderful to see everyone again on Sunday morning after a Shabbos off. We had a delicious lunch at the OU Center and then had an inspiring shiur with Rabbi Andi Yudin about the holiness and specialness of the Kotel. We also watched a moving video about the Kotel prepared by Miriam Kukhashvili. How unbelievable it was to daven at the place where we have prayed for thousands of years, at the gates of the Beis Hamikdash. The fact that we waited so long to get there, a few weeks into the program, increased the girl’s yearning and anticipation for it, and in many ways made it much more precious and appreciated.
It was amazing to come back to Reishit. The girls were so excited to arrive at their home campus! We had a new mini orientation for everything we needed to know about our new campus, including clear instructions with a visual tour of what to do in case of a siren.
After a delicious Reishit dinner, we enjoyed hearing from Rabbi Menachem Nissel, renowned speaker and writer. As a prelude to Tisha B’av, Rabbi Nissel described to the girls the details of the coming Mashiach and how things will be B’ezrat Hasmem. He enhanced our understanding of Moshaich and enabled us to have more intent when praying for the redemption of the Jewish people.
Afterwards, we had a professionally medical clown trainer come to train us in preparation for our chessed trip for Thursday. Everyone had a wonderful time training, learning to mime and do all kinds of fun activities to cheer up patients and their families.
Monday morning, the girls finally got to meet their morning teachers. Although we had been in the North until then, we had a wonderful morning of learning with our teachers. They got to learn with their regularly planned first rate morning teachers, including Mrs. Batya Weinberg, Arielle Arielli, Michelle Elmaleh and Devori Weicholz. The NCSYers fit right into their schedules at Reishit as if they had been doing so the entire summer.
With Reishit's sports complex and kitchen at our fingertips, our girls were able to enjoy a whole new, exciting choice of activities! Monday activities were volleyball, workout in the exercise room, baking, choir and drama!
After lunch, we had a really exceptional opportunity to hear from a panel of our fellow Michlelet NCSYers in a “Get to Know Your Peers” progam. We heard from Fradel Adler, Sarah Comar, Kaitlyn Morill, Tehila Ornstein, Reut Rappaport and Shenya Stern. It was absolutely fantastic!!! The girls got to appreciate how every person is a world unto herself and how much respect we need to have for every person we meet. From there, we went up to our beautiful Beis Medrash and Rabbi Andi Yudin taught the girls about all the halachot of Tisha Bav.
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 incredible 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 chatzos, there was an optional shiur given by Rabbi Chaim Marcus, Rabbi in Springfield, NJ, and teacher in Bruriah High School.
During the day, there were appropriate movies with messages of Ahavat Yisrael playing, and I gave an optional shiur towards the end of the fast. 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.
After we all broke our fast and had some time to rest, we had an exciting Madrichot vs. Michlelet NCSYers basketball game. It was a close game but the madrichot won. Everyone had a great time, with tons of cheering.
Wednesday was another gratifying, productive day at Michlelet . We had an excellent morning learning with our teachers and madrichot. For morning activities there was aerobics, baking home made hot pretzels, pioneering, machanayim and choir!
In the afternoon, the NCSYers met their new afternoon teachers for the first time. They enjoyed learning with top rate educators such as Mrs. Sara Leah Haber, Rabbi Rafi Rosenblum, Atara Starr, Shanie Warman and Rabbi Avraham Willig. Afternoon activities included art, basketball, dance, drama and workout time in the exercise room!
Everyone really enjoyed the tasty meat dinner at Reishit. In the evening, we had the privilege of hearing from Mrs. Shira Smiles, well known speaker and writer. In keeping with the theme of our week, Malchus, Royalty, she spoke of the meaning of the shafor, when we coronate Hashem. Mrs. Smiles presented a new perspective on what we should be thinking about during the shofar blasts on Rosh Hashana. She explained that during that time we have the opportunity to be honest with ourselves about who we were during the year and who we want to become. By being honest with ourselves we can achieve real teshuvah and a genuine relationship with Hashem.
Wednesday night's night activity was amazing!!! Michelelet experienced "Purim in August!" Dressed in their finest Adar apparel, the girls were given hamamtaschen ingredients with no recipe and four surprise ingredients to see which team could bake the best ones! While the hamamtaschen were baking, the girls enjoyed leibadik dancing and designed their own Purim masks!
Thursday morning, the Michlelet NCSYers started their morning with a choice of chessed. They either were able to go medical clowning at Shaarei Tzedek hospital or a choice of two old age homes. The girls had an amazing time with each other and felt so good to bring such joy to the patients as well as their families. There really is no greater feeling! Other girls enjoyed the opportunity to go to Yad Eliezer to package food for the poor of Jerusalem. Shana bet went to a home for children from broken homes. The girls got to tour the place and then do activities with and build up the children. No matter which trip they chose, the girls all came back feeling so good about their morning of giving to the people of Jerusalem.
After lunch, they enjoyed phenomenal learning with their afternoon teachers and madrichot followed by wonderful activities with choices of tennis, cake decorating, drama, choir and pioneering.
In the evening, we had the distinct pleasure of hearing from Rabbi Gav Freedman, well know speaker. Rav Gav’s speech was both entertaining, hysterical and motivational. He spoke of the struggle that many people deal with of controlling their anger. He explained that once we decrease our arrogance and increase our humility, we will learn to overcome our anger.
We ended off our fabulous day of chessed and learning, with an utterly awesome concert given by Shlomo Katz at our very own Reishit Campus. The place was literally rocking!! We started off and ended the evening with an amazing kumzits led by Shlomo, with the girls voices rising strong and unified. In the middle, there was unbelievable dancing! Everyone got really into it and the unity, spirit and joy in the room is honestly hard to describe!! It was an absolutely amazing evening!
This morning, everyone left bright and early, as we headed to the stunning Kineret for some wet and incredible fun!! The Michlelet NCsyers went banana boating, kayaking and paddle boating and had an absolute blast!
When we arrived at Tzfat, the girls had an option of going to the the Beis Hakvoros. What an absolute privilege to pray at Kivrei Tzadikim, such as that of the Arizal, Rav Leib Baal Hayesurim, the Bais Yosef and Rav Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz, at times like these when our tefilos are so very needed.
We look forward to an incredible Shabbos Nachamu here in Tzfat and have wonderful things in store for this coming week, G-d willing.
May all of Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael experience the real Nechama of true peace, and dance home to the Beis Hamikdash very soon!
Good Shabbos,
Rivka Yudin
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