Summer 2021

Mindy Lowy is from th Five Towns, and went to Tag High School and Michlalah seminary for Shana Aleph and Shana Bet. Mindy is psyched to be participating in her second summer on Michlelet in between completing semesters at LCW. Mindy’s chaburah, “Stages of Life, Stages of Growth,” goes through the different lessons we can learn from each stage of life from infancy to adulthood. The chaburah follows Batya Gallant’s book, “Stages of Spiritual Growth” to help us discover how to best maximize every stage of life in the development of our Middas haChessed. The amazing fantastic girls who are in Mindy’s homeroom Chaburah are Rebecca (SKA), Bayla (Hadar), Rachel (YULA), Devorah (TAG), and Dalia (TAG).
Question: What is your favorite on campus activity and why?
Bayla- My favorite on campus activity is the chaburah learning and teacher shiurim because all the teachers and madrichot are really inspiring and teach us how to grow and I love learning all these new approaches to life, davening, middos etc.
Rachel- Swimming because it’s refreshing and relaxing
Devorah- Zumba, because I love dancing and its fun to just jump around and be with my friends.
Dalia- I love doing zumba on campus! It’s always so fun to be with friends while having a great time!
Rebecca- Sleeping after our super busy fun filled days!

Today was an amazing day filled with learning and a lot if ruach. We had the privilege of hosting a carnival for underprivileged kids right here on our own campus! We brought happiness to their day with dancing, games, food, and prizes. After the carnival we had our afternoon Chabura and teacher shiurim, followed by awesome activities. We ended off the night with an incredible and inspiring concert by Abby, our very own Talia Kronenberg’s sister! Today was an awesome day!!

Esther Dyckman is from Queens, NY and attended SKA for high school, followed by a year and a half in MMY. She is currently entering her Junior year at Stern College and is majoring in Mathematics. This is Esther’s third summer on Michlelet and first as a madricha. Esther’s chaburah is about Parallels in Tanach and its goal is to compare and contrast stories and people in Tanach, using textual and thematic similarities, to glean practical messages from those comparisons. One example is “Women at the Well: Jewish Values in Relationships.” This chaburah compares the three stories of Eliezer and Rivka, Yaakov and Rachel and Moshe and Tziporah, and extracts messages first from the similarities between the three and then by pinpointing what is unique about each story.

Esther’s chaburah is made up of an amazing group of girls including Shoshana (Frisch), Esti (TAG), Dafna (Yavneh), Naava (Sharrei Torah of Richmond /STOR), Rivka (YGW) and Ariella (Shulamith).

What has been your favorite place we visited in Israel and why?

Naava- My favorite place we visited in Israel is Chevron. We toured around the gorgeous small community and learned the struggles it takes to live there. Going to Maaras Hamachpela was an unbelievable experience making this trip and our time in Israel feel so real. It was a meaningful and enjoyable opportunity. 🙂

Rivka- Definitely the kotel was the most amazing place we’ve been on michlelet. The second you walk in you can feel the connection and when you daven while touching the stones it’s surreal and you literally feel that it’s just you and Hashem and you can ask whatever you want and He will listen. It’s the closest I’ve ever felt to Hashem in my life.

Ariella- My favorite place I’ve gone so far in israel is Maerat Hamachpaela because it’s such a meaningful thing to know that our Avot and Imahot are buried there and I’m able to daven there in their zechut.

Dafna- My favorite place we visited so far was the home of Tammy Karmel. It was such a powerful experience to meet someone with so much Emuna, going through challenges beyond comprehension.

Shoshana- My favorite place to visit so far has been Tevaria. I absolutely loved the water sports there. Nothing compares to flying down the kinneret with your friends, feeling the wind and water splash your face. I will definitely be going back!!

Esti- My favorite trip of this summer was the tubing snd banana boating in the keneret because I was able to see more of Israel while having fun.

Today was amazing. We started of the day with a Tom iyon on technology. We had different teachers and madrichot talk to us about how we can elevat, and use technology for the good and not just why it is bad. Afterwards we had the opportunity to go to one of three museums deaf, blind, and elderly. I choose the deaf museum. It really brought out my appreciation to be able to hear. They had us where sound canceling headphones so we could not hear. While wearing them they showed us how to sign with our hands and body the whole way through. At the end we had the opportunity with an interpreter in the room to ask our guild some questions about herself and the deaf community. The day ended with a night activity called messa palooza. As it sound it was messy really fun. We got to three paint and water all over each other. Today was a really incredible day.

-Lizzie Boczko, Woodmere, NY

Rena Mandel is from Passaic NJ, attended Bruriah high school followed by a year and a half in Michlalah. She just recently graduated Touro College with a degree in psychology. This is her second summer on Michlelet, but her first summer as a madricha! Her chabura is called “The Path They Paved”. Together the group learns lessons from Pirkei Avos and discuss ways to improve themselves.
The incredible girls in her chabura are: Sarah Gila (SKA), Anna (Naaleh), Aliza (MHS), Reggie (MHS), Ayelet (Hadar), and Sheffah (Bruriah).

Sarah- My favorite part of learning on Michlelet is being able to do it with friends and being able to grow with other girls also looking to grow. Having an amazing Madricha as guidance helps us all be the best that we can be.

Anna- I feel that my eyes are opened to so many new things through the learning on Michlelet and I really enjoy connecting to the girls and madrichot in small groups.

Aliza- Learning the quote: “im ain ani li mi li.. aimatai” and learning that the world doesn’t wait for you and you need to do things for yourself! I also really like the disscussions and the values game we played.

Sheffah- I love how there are so many different styles of learning so you can grow in different areas.

Ayelet- My favorite part of learning so far on Michlelet is the interactive chaburahs where each girl can add in her own ideas and it turns into a discussion.

Reggie- My favorite part of learning on Michlelet is the chaburas. The Madrichot prepare amazing lessons which makes everything so clear and easy to understand and I come out of each chabura having a deeper understanding.

What another fantastic day on Michlelet! We started off the day with beautiful chaburah learning with our Madrichot and teacher shiurim. In the afternoon we had optional tiyulim to an Ethiopian village where we got to experience some of the Ethiopian Israeli culture or Kakadu art studio where we got to use special paints on wood. To end off the night we had an inspirational speaker, Rabbi Katz from MMY and a special Project “Mad”-way where we got to dress up our Madrichot and have them walk down the runway. We can’t wait for tomorrow 🙂
-Bayla K., Boca Raton, FL

Idi Klein is from Brooklyn NY and went to Lev Bais Yaakov for high school, then to Midreshet Tehillah for seminary for 2 years and is in Touro College for psychology and education. This is Idi’s second time on Michlelet but first time as a madricha on the program. Idi’s Chabura has the overall theme of “think kindness” where she gives simple but powerful ideas and how to be people who see more kindness in the world and become kinder people. Her Chabura is made up of a group of amazing girls including Esti (Mesores), Maya (SKA), Menucha (TMM), Shana (BYOB), Meira (Bais Yaakov Machon).

What is the best part about spending your summer in Israel and why?

Esti- This is my first time in Israel and I love seeing the land and it’s beauty. Being here gave me a new perspective of Torah and learning, and helped me grow spiritually.

Meira- The best part about spending my summer in Israel is the connection I’ve made to the land, to my friends, to myself, and ultimately to Hashem.

Menucha- My favorite part about Michlelet is all the learning. I know it sounds cliché but throughout every single experience you gain something. Whether it’s Chabura, a speech, a hike you learn something amazing. 

Shana- In school we learn about different events in Tanach that involve so many great people and special places. When you’re young you think they’re nothing more than a story. Now that it is my first time here in Israel, I’m getting to see and experience the places that I always have learned about and walk the same grounds the avos and imahos walked thousands of years ago. It’s truly such an incredible and eye opening experience. I’m so glad I get to experience with all my new friends I met this summer as well.

Maya- The best part of spending my summer in Israel is staying so close to my family. Usually I hardly ever get to see them but now they are only 10 minutes away.

Today was such an amazing day! We started off the day with our morning chaburos/teacher’s shiurim and then had morning activities like kickball, dance and other fun options. After lunch we had our afternoon chaburos/teacher’s shiurim and then had our afternoon activities. We then listened to a speech given by Mrs. Haber which was incredibly meaningful and I really enjoyed it. We boarded the buses and had a delicious barbecue and an awesome time swimming!

-Naomi G, Teaneck, NJ

Gila Alter is from Teaneck NJ, and attended Bruriah for High School followed by a year in Michlalah. She is currently entering her senior year in Stern College as a Biology major. Gila’s Chaburah is titled: “Shabbos Hayom LaHashem: Living a Meaningful Life Connected to HaShem”. The main goal of her Chaburah is for the girls to strengthen their relationship and love for HaShem. Shabbos Kodesh is the day we can taste Olam Haba and feel the most connected and close to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The Chaburah goes through different aspects of Shabbos including; the Kedusha of Shabbos, Transforming our Erev Shabbos, Tefilah, Emunah, The Role of Music on Shabbos, Simcha of Shabbos, Eishes Chayil-the Role of a Woman, the connection to the Beis Hamikdash, and more! By understanding what Shabbos is all about, the girls will iy”H have a more meaningful Shabbos experience as well as a stronger foundation in their relationship with HaShem.
The most amazing and inspiring girls in Gila’s Chaburah are: Kayla (MHS), Bracha (Tiferes), Eliana (Naaleh), Avigial (Shulamith), and Deena (MHS).

If u had to compare your summer to an ice cream flavor what would it be and why?

Kayla- If I had to compare my summer on Michlelet to an ice cream flavor, I would choose confetti cake batter. Michlelet is a perfect mix between Torah, fun and friends. Like all of the sprinkles mixed in the ice cream, there are so many incredible opportunities packaged in the six week Michlelet experience.

Bracha- I would compare my summer to the flavour strawberry! Obviously since we are a group of incredible girls, pink is very fitting! I also think the flavour is comprable because strawberry can be sweet and a little bit tarte. Nothing on this trip has been sour, but we have been given the opportunity to tour some more serious sites as well as the fun ones, mixing together the flavours to create the BEST. SUMMER.EVER

Deena- If I had to compare my summer on Michlelet to an ice cream flavor, I would choose superman. Michlelet has been an exciting mix of all different people, activities, learning and more just like the tye dye mix in superman. Besides for that, this summer has been SUPER fun and I could not ask for a sweeter summer.

Eliana- I would compare my summer in michlelet to chocolate vanilla swirl because all though at first it seems different, once you delve in it’s such a mix of different and exciting new flavors like the different and new type of people, learning and new activities. After that first bite, you immediately taste the sweetness and you cant wait to see what more is to come!

Avigail- I would compare my summer on michlelet to the flavor cookie dough!! Just like cookie dough is a perfect balance between cookie dough and ice cream, The michlelet program is the perfect balance of fun and learning!! We go on many amazing trips and activities and yet we still make time for our awesome chabura’s and shuir’s. Michlelet gives us the opportunity to enjoy both aspects incredibly well!!! Just like cookie dough Is enjoyable to eat, michlelet gives us such an enjoyable summer to learn and have the Best. Summer. Ever!