Summer 2017

Orah Wilens is from Chicago, Illinois, and just finished her second year as Madricha/Shana Bet at Darchei Binah. After going on Michlelet as a camper, Orah was excited to come back as staff, because she knows how much the program has to offer!

The special and insightful girls In Orah’s homeroom are Devorah Schreier, ( Woodmere, NY), Dvora Golombeck ( Lawrence, NY), Gitty Greenwald, ( Miami, FL), and Naava Wasserman, (Boston, MA).

Orah’s Chaburah is called Links: You, me and Hashem”- which is based on the pasuk in Pirkei Avot 1:2, על שלשה דברים העולם עומד על התורה ועל העבודה ועל גמילת חסדים T: On 3 things does the world stand on Torah, avodah and Chesed. Each one of these foundations of Judaism is connected to 3 categories. Bein Adam leatzmo,- ( relationship with self)- connected to Torah. Bein Adam lechavero (relationship with others) -connected to Chesed. And Bein Adam lemakom, (relationship with Hashem)-Connected to Avodah. Going through different topics related to each relationship we are better able to understand how each one builds on each other and how they all play an integral role in building our relationship with Hashem.

What is your favorite Chag and why?

Devorah Schreier- Pesach because it is a time that we look back at our past and use it to strengthen and connect us as a nation.

Dvora Golombeck- I love Succos because we go out of our house and feel so special in the Succah. We are surrounded by so much beauty and we have the opportunity to really feel close and connected to Hashem!

Gitty Greenwald- Succot because it’s long, and I get to be with my family. I also love the feeling of being in the sukkah.

Naava Wasserman- Pesach because you get to have Yom Tov and spend time with family. It’s also great because when we sit down for the sedar the house is nice and clean, and we get to focus on spending time with family and learning Torah.

Sarah Leah Nachimson is super excited to be spending her first summer on Michlelet!! Originally from Los Angeles, CA, Sarah Leah went to Bais Yaakov of LA and then spent a year and a half in Michlalah. She recently graduated from Stern College with a B.A. in psychology. Next year she plans to pursue a PsyD in school-community psychology at Hofstra University.

The fantastic girls in Sarah Leah’s chaburah are Chaya Abramchik (Miami, FL), Ashira Herzfeld (Chicago, IL), Pessi Marmorstein (Brooklyn, NY), and Shira Weinroth (Bronx, NY)!!

The title of Sarah Leah’s chaburah is “Once Upon a Time,” and it is based on the passuk “lakol zman vaeis” (for everything there is a time and season) from Sefer Koheles. In each chaburah, the girls learn about a different pair of times described by Koheles, such as “a time to be silent and a time to speak” and “a time to love and a time to hate.” They discuss an underlying theme for each set of times and how and when it can be applied to our lives.

What is your favorite chessed activity that you’ve done on Michlelet and why?

Chaya: My favorite chessed thing was the bridal shower. I thought it was an incredible experience to witness. We had the privilege of having the TJJA girls together with us and it was so beautiful to see Jews from all over coming together to do a chessed for a person in need. Additionally, the Kallahs appreciation for every single gift she received.

Ashira: It’s very hard to choose one that is my favorite, but since I have to choose one delivering packages to the soldiers was a very meaningful experience. It was very nice to give to people who give so much for Klal Yisrael.

Pessi: My favorite chessed activity was the packages for soldiers. Because it’s so amazing what they do for our country and how they protect us and make us feel comforted in where we are even during dangerous times and the fact that we cold give them something even the smallest thing. Is an amazing feeling and an amazing chessed.

Shira: My 2 favorite chesseds were the bridal shower and the sdeirot carnival. The bridal shower was really nice for all of us to dance with a kallah that we never met, and we were able to provide her with things she will need for her future home. I felt very privileged to take part of that chessed! Also, the sdeirot carnival was really fun and cute, playing with kids I never met before, giving them piggy back rides etc. I had a really fun time and it was also chessed.

We had an amazing Thursday here on Michlelet! We started off our day with learning in homeroom, followed by preparations for a carnival we made for children from Sderot. It was incredible to see all the children with smiles on their faces, and made us to happy to be able to give while gaining so much ourselves! We had such a nice time! After the carnival, we had a regular day; with learning, activities and fun! For our night speaker, we were fortunate to hear from Mrs. Rina Ariel, mother of Hallel Yaffa Ariel, who spoke about her story and emunah in Hashem. It was a very moving speech and we are grateful to have heard from her. Then we headed down to the dining room for night activty where we were split into teams for Cupcake Wars! It was so delicious and so much fun!!

We had an incredible 4th week and are excited for our off shabbos, to rejuvenate and rest up for an incredible 5th week on Michlelet!! Shabbat Shalom!

Meira Motechin hails from Bergenfield, NJ and is a student at Stern College. She attended Bruriah High School, followed by and year and a half at Michlalah. Meira is super excited to be back at Michlelet as a Madricha, after an amazing summer here as a camper.

The girls in Meira’s chabura are Ariella Unger (Lawrence), Malkie Bugayer (Woodmere), Leezy Feuer (Lawrence), and Tziporah Zwickler (West Orange).

Meira’s chabura is titled “Heroes and Villains in Tanach.” She explores different Torah personalities and what trait we can learn from each of them, as well as practical ways to work on those middot. Her chabura also focuses on what it means to “be your own superhero,” such as how to work on your muscles (growth), learn your powers (kochot/individuality) and then rise to the challenge! She hopes the girls in her chabura will realize that we can learn from each person, good or evil, and how middot can be used positively or negatively.

Which super power do you wish you had and why?

Tziporah: Invisibility, you can literally be anywhere without people knowing.

Ariella: Flying, so I don’t have to walk.

Leezy: Reading people’s minds, because I love to know people’s thoughts.

Malkie: Teleportation because then I can travel instantaneously and not have to worry about wasting my time getting there. Every moment is a precious gift and shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Today was another awesome day here at Michlelet! The day began in a Beit midrash filled with voices of learning, laughing, and bonding during homeroom, and continued with the awesome madricha chaburahs and teacher shiurim we’re lucky enough to have here. In the afternoon we put together packages and wrote cards to chayalim at their base in Efrat. We had a meaningful and fun time getting to meet, connect with, and express our appreciation to the brave men protecting us; and we even got to hear from a lone solider about his experience! After a siyum and delicious fleishig dinner back at Reishit, we had the privilege of hearing from Mrs. Schneider as our night speaker. We then headed to the buses for a surprise night activity! We had a blast bouncing the night away at iJump while Shana bet bonded in a laser tag experience. We had an amazing, jam packed day filled with learning, chessed, and so much fun! Can’t wait for tomorrow!

Eliana Alter is from Teaneck, New Jersey and is currently a senior in Stern College studying biology. She went to Bruriah high school and then spent her year in seminary at Michlalah. Eliana is so excited to be able to teach and learn Torah in Eretz Yisrael during her first summer on Michlelet.

The amazing and inspiring girls in Eliana’s homeroom are Elana Eisenberger (Woodmere, NY), Shayna Eisenberg (Lawrence, NY), Tehila Galbut (Miami, FL), and Lieba Weiss (Lawrence, NY).

Eliana’s chaburah is called “אש מאשת חיל: Finding the Aish in Eishes Chayil”. The beautiful pesukim from Mishlei that are sung Friday night at every Shabbos table sometimes seem hard to relate to. In each chaburah, we focus on a different pasuk and its theme and then connect it to our lives as young women in a personal and practical way. With stories about Rebbetzin Machlis, a true Eises Chayil, themes taken from Nefesh Chaya by Rav Pincus, and ideas from More Precious Than Pearls by Rebbetzin Tzipporah Heller, the goal of the Chaburah is to bring the words of Eishes Chayil to life and enable each girl to make her own personal connection to them.

What is your favorite part about an in Shabbos on Michlelet and why?

Elana Eisenberger- My favorite part about shabbos on Michlelet is the easy camaraderie amongst all the girls. When we are seated randomly by the meals we are given the chance to get to talk to people who we might have otherwise not sat next to and spoken to. The girls are all awesome and it’s amazing to be together.

Shayna Eisenberg – During the entire week everyone’s in different chaburas and doing different things but on shobbas we all come together and sing and spend time together. 

Lieba Weiss – I like the kumzitz on shabbos afternoon because it’s so nice to hear the whole camp singing together, especially with the beautiful sunset behind us

Tehila Galbut- the two shabbosim I spent here on Michlelet were the most incredible shabbosim of my life. The zmiros and kumzitzs are in itself an inspiration. I personally think that shabbos on Michlelet is the highlight of my week and possibly my summer.

Shana Ostrow is from Forest Hills, Queens, and just finished her second year as Madricha/Shana Bet in Darchei Binah. Shana loved being madricha so much and is estatic that she has the opportunity to continue on Michlelet. She is having a super time and really enjoys being in Israel and chilling with the girls.

The amazing, sweet, inspiring girls is Shana’s chabura are  Devorah Neuhoff (Cedahurst), Leah Weiss (Passaic, NJ), Malkie Rabinowitz (Brooklyn), and Elisheva Lesser (Lawrence). 

Shana’s chabura is called “The Power of Six” – the parallels between the שש זכירות (six rememberances) and the six constant Mitzvos. She goes through the six major historical events that we are commanded to remember, ties it to one of the six constant mitzvos, and adds in the deeper meanings and practical applications that we can bring down to our lives. Shana’s goal is to take that which we learn/experience and our daily actions and bridge the gap between the two. She wants to engrain the lessons into the girls, and hopes it will inspire them to love our history and see how we can learn from it and practically apply it to our daily lives. 

If you can get a rebar with any person in Tanach who would it be and why?

Devorah Neuhoff- i would like to take the entire tanach to rebar… But specifically Dovid. 

Malkie Rabinowitz- I would take the Emahos so that i can learn from the strong empowering woman from Tanach.

Leah weiss- I would take Avraham Aveinu, and ask him what made him go against what everyone else around him was saying, and be the odd one out.

Elisheva Lesser- Yoseph, because he was second command in mitzrayim and probably would get some good treatement at rebar.

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!