Sophie Blumenthal is from Woodmere, New York. She attended SKA for high school and then went on to study in Shaalvim for Women for a year and a half. She is currently studying Psychology in Stern College for Women. This is Sophie’s first summer on Michlelet and she is loving it!
The girls in Sophie’s chabura are Rivka Bennun (Woodmere, NY), Mindy Benovitz (Monsey, NY), Avia Bennett (Miami, FL) and Tzipporah Felsenthal (Ramat Beit Shemesh).
Sophie’s Chabura is called: “מעגל השנה- Practical Lesson from our Jewish Calendar”. Each chabura focuses on a different month on the calendar or Jewish holiday and what practical lessons can be learnt from it. Throughout the chaburas there are discussions, stories and activities to help the girls get a better understanding and appreciation for the holidays and the calendar. The goal is for the girls will be able to take what they have learnt from the chabura and apply it to their lives throughout the year.
What is your favorite place in Israel that you have visited so far and why?
Rivka: I’d say my favorite place was Chispin. There was something very calming and tranquil about the yeshuv. Literally just breathing the air felt different. It’s like a whole different world up North and I’m in love with it. What was crazy to me was that we were twenty minutes away from the Syrian border and I felt completely safe and happy. I found it was a very idealistic place and I totally see myself possibly living there when I’m older.
Tzipporah: My favorite place that I visited so far was going to a family’s house in the Golan. We got to see how happy they were to live in their home even though they were told by many throughout the world that it’s occupied territory and that they don’t belong there. Seeing how proud they were to be living there really inspired me to also one day move to one of those “occupied territories” in Israel to show the world that the Jews belong there, it’s our land and we’re not leaving.
Avia: My favorite place we have visited so far is Yerushalayim because you feel the Kedusha of the land so much more there. I also really enjoyed visiting Eilat because of all the really fun activities we did while we were down there.
Mindy: I loved visiting Kever Rochel because I felt a real connection to Jewish history and to my ancestors.