Gaby Stemp is from Queens, NY, went to the Ramaz Upper School, and spent 2 years in MMY. She just finished a year at Barnard College but will be making Aliyah in September and will study neuroscience at Bar Ilan University. Gaby is so excited to be able to give back to Michlelet, which had such a huge impact on her as a camper.
Gaby’s chaburah is titled “Ishei HaTanach: Role Models for Life.” With all of the negative influences and role models in today’s society, it is easy to lose sight of what is important and difficult to have any real character growth. But if we look to the figures in Tanach- their triumphs and tribulations, where they are successful and where they stumble, and their own journeys of growth- we can learn what it means to embody different middot and how to develop these middot in a practical way. Ishei HaTanach, in particular, are so important to hold as role models because they are perfectly imperfect, and teach us to embrace our own imperfections and to use them to grow. Each chaburah focuses on a different middah and uses instances where we see this middah in Tanach as a springboard for a larger discussion. Gaby’s goal is to help the girls develop their middot while simultaneously accepting their imperfections, using them to grow even further, and embracing their whole selves.
Gaby’s incredible homeroom girls are: Shira Friedman (Hillside, NJ), Tehilla Kornwasser (Teaneck, NJ), Chana Esther Schwartz (Teaneck, NJ), and Rena Vegh (Philadelphia, PA).
If you could have dinner with anyone in Tanach, who would it be and why?
Shira- I think I would meet with Aharon HaKohen because I would like to see how he is able to talk to and work with everyone with shalom.
Tehila- Yehonatan because he embodies what it means to embrace the ratzon of Hashem.
Chana Ester- Chana so I could meet the person that my name came from.
Rena- Avraham Avinu. Because first of all, I heard he prepares a mean meal for his guests! And second of all, I would love to have a conversation with him about how he always stayed strong and trusted in Hashem through his extremely difficult nisyonos.