Summer 2021

We began to say goodbye to Michlelet on Thursday with our last day of “regular” learning. We then had a tearful “Michlopoly” themed banquet and ended the night with a rocking concert from Ari Goldwag. On Friday, we visited Geluah/Meiah Sharim to pick up last minute Israel treats and present. We had an amazing last Shabbos together! After Shabbos, we had our final kumzitz and recounted our favorite Michlelet memories. Then we packed our bags, said our goodbyes and thank you’s to all who made this summer possible and boarded our flights. 

Click below to see all the picture from this unforgettable weekend! 

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Risa Harris is from Queens NY, and attended SKA for high school, followed by a year in Michlalah. She is currently entering her junior year in Stern college. This is Risa’s second summer on Michlelet and first as a madricha.

Risa’s chaburah is titled “2 for 10: Turning the Camp Lessons into Life Lessons”- bringing the personal development that two months of camp can offer into the other ten months of the year. Risa’s chaburah focuses on cultivating a strong foundation of emunah and bitachon and using this as a basis for developing our middos. Each chaburah has a different camp theme, such as “driving the golf cart” or “color war”, that teach a life lesson such as bitachon or achdus.

Risa’s incredible chanichot are: Tali (SKA), Leah (Naaleh), Tehilla (Hannah Saks), Bella (Tiferes), Shira (Hadar), and Tali (Bruriah).

Leah Goldfischer:
My favorite part of michlelet is the full day tiyulim because it allows me to experience adventurous activities while further immersing myself in the Israeli culture and connect to my Jewish Pride.

Bella Remer:
My favorite part of Michlelet is the atmosphere you feel when you walk in. The positive energy that radiates throughout the building is contagious and adds to the growth oriented mindset that everyone shares.

Tali Finkelstein:
My favorite thing about michlelet is that it allows us to take charge of our summer by giving us opportunities to choose which activities and trips we want to participate in.

Tali Schimmel:
my favorite parts about camp are forming connections with both other girls and madrichot and learning more about myself.

Tehilla Garden:
My favorite thing about camp is spending time with my friends

Shira Amster:
my favorite thing about camp is the night speakers, they inspire me every night.

What a way to end the summer! We had a full day tiyul either going back in time to ancient Katzrin or a water hike. We all ended the day at Aqua Kaf for water-full last time together. 

Click below to see all the amazing pictures from this amazing day! 

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כל המשמח חתן וכלה כאילו בנה אחת מחורבות ירושלים

Mazel Tov Yeal and Ilan! 

Click below to see all the amazing pictures from this Yeal and Ilan’s special day! 

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Leora Fenster is from Lawrence, New York. She went to SKA for high school, then spent a year at MMY and is now in Stern. Leora went on Michlelet as a camper and is so excited to be back as a Madricha! Leora’s Chabura is called “Embodying the Torah: Using our Spiritual Bodies to Serve Hashem.” In this Chabura we connect different parts of the body to different middot and focus on them. For example: eyes correspond to Ayin Tova and the mouth to using proper speech.
Leora’s Chabura is made up of 5 amazing girls: Eliana (SKA), Mayana (Bruriah), Shana (Hanna Sacks), Shira Rivka (Hadar), Zahava (MHS).

What was your favorite trip on Michlelet and why?
Eliana: My favorite trip on Michlelet was when we hiked Masada. We got up really early in the morning and slept the whole bus ride, but when we woke up we saw the gorgeous view and sunrise around us. At the top of the mountain as well, the view was astonishing and it really gave me a greater appreciation for the world Hashem created for us. “מה רבו מעשיך ה׳”

Mayana: My favorite trip on Michlelet was when we visited the Kotel. It was my first time ever at the Kotel, and so it was especially meaningful to me. I was walked up to it with my eyes closed, and when I opened my eyes I felt like I was home. I walked up to it and I davened Mincha, and it was the most meaningful davening I have ever had. I’m so grateful that I was able to have this experience!

Shana: My favorite day on michlelet was the technology yom iyun. The speakers were amazing and so were the madrichot’s classes. Instead of telling us to fully get rid of technology we were taught that technology can be used for the good and how.

Shira Rivka: My favorite trip on Michlelet so far was medical clowning. To see the joy of the patients in the hospital, as we were having fun, was an amazing experience. Not all chessed is always fun and enjoyable. Sometimes it is even hard and challenging. In the case of medical clowning, however, what stuck with me the most was the fact that we had fun while we were making the patients’ day. I had the privilege of going to the cardiology ward of the hospital and distributing food and drinks to the patients. The feedback we got will stay with me forever. Even with the language barrier and a limited amount of speaking, we saw the tremendous impact we made on them. Chessed, no matter how easy or hard it is, can change the recipient’s life for the better.

Zahava: Although this summer was packed with so many amazing trips, my favorite trip was when we went to Ein Gedi for the day! The bus ride along the Dead Sea was gorgeous, the hike itself was so pretty and the waterfalls were extremely refreshing. What I enjoyed most about the trip, however, was when everyone sat down in a circle in the water and we had a beautiful kumzitz!

Aviva Barth is from Queens, New York. She went to MHS and then went to Michlalah for seminary. She just graduated Queens College and is iyh starting social work school in the fall. Aviva had an incredible experience on Michlelet as a camper and is so excited to be back this summer as a madricha. 

Aviva’s chabura is called “Bentch like a Mensch”. The goal of her chabura is to help the campers make their Bentching more meaningful. She started off by explaining the Torah perspective on eating and then went on to teach the source of Birchas Hamazon as well as some basic Halachos of Bentching. The chabura also practically discusses different themes which can be find in bentching such as Hakaras Hatov, Gam Zu Ltova, and Eretz Yisreal. Aviva’s goal for her chabura is to ultimately change their perspective to “getting to bentch” as opposed to feeling that they “have to bentch” after eating bread.

The amazing girls in Aviva’s chabura are Bracha (MHS), Esti (TAG), Maya (Ida Crown), Miriam (Bruriah), Rachel (Hadar),  Ruti (Naaleh)

What have you learned about Bentching this summer that you didn’t know before?

Bracha-  In Benching we say “הודו לה׳ כי טוב…״ – we bless HaShem because HE is good. But at times life may not seem so good, in which case we tend to say “Gam Zu L’tovah” even though it may actually not be something we think is good. What I learnt from this powerful message is that when we are given a challenge or something is just not going the way we like, I know that it’s FOR the good. It may not seem so good now but we thank  HaShem for HE is good, therefore meaning “HE will never leave us lacking any good thing”. So although we may not view a particular thing in our lives as good know that when we are Benching we are praising and thanking HaShem for HE is good- which makes whatever HE does inevitably good.

Esti- Something I learned was that bentching is not only thanking HaShem for the food we eat but also for Eretz Yisrael, seeing that everything that happens is for the good, as well as that all the beautiful mitzvos we have the opportunity to do daily; such as ahavas and yiras Hashem, are also mentioned in bentching.

Maya- I learned the true meaning behind Bentching. Bentching should not be something you are inconvenienced by, but rather something you should look forward to.  It’s a time for you to show your gratitude to Hashem. If you say thank you to the bus driver as you leave the bus why wouldn’t you say thank you to Hashem for all that He gives you and sustains you at every meal.

Miriam- Through Benching we learn to have Hakarat Hatov for everything Hashem gives us. Whether you can move your ten fingers or use your eyes to view the beautiful scenery, thanking Hashem for everything will lead to a fulfilling life. Benching gives us the built in opportunity to sit down and thank Hashem for the process in which our bodies our nourished. We should use it as a time to acknowledge how much Hashem does for us and carry the message throughout our day

Rachel- In chaburah this summer, I learnt a beautiful idea on the themes of Ahavat Hashem and Yirat Hashem that are both found in Birkat Hamazon . On this topic, we brought the Rambams question on how one is supposed to love and fear Hashem at once. He answered that by looking out and recognizing Hashem’s hand in every creation, one comes to love and appreciate Hashem for giving him so much, but also fear Him out of recognition of His power. This was super applicable over the summer which I spent touring Israel and seeing all the beautiful sights. These experiences left me in awe and also brought me closer to Hashem!

Ruti- When thinking about bentching, I usually think about thanking Hashem. Throughout this summer and through this Chaburah I have learned that bentching is not just a mere “thank you”. It is also an expression of our love of Hashem and a reminder that He loves us. This is an angle that I have not thought about before and it makes my bentching that much more meaningful.

Ziva Kompel is from Chicago, IL. Ziva went to Hanna Sacks for high school, spent an incredible year in Machon Raaya for seminary, and is currently studying Audiology in Touro College. Ziva’s chaburah is titled, “The Inner Battles of our Sages: How to eat your Yetzer Hara for Breakfast”. Every chaburah discusses a yetzer hara/ nisayon that a character in Tanach endured; and how/if they overcame it. We explore how to learn from their experiences and defeat our own Yetzer Haras in the battlefield of life. The five INCREDIBLE warriors that make up Ziva’s chabura are Bina (Bruriah), Chayala (Naaleh), Leah (Maimonides), FayPo (MHS), and Rivki (BY Baltimore).

Who is someone in Jewish history who inspires you for overcoming a nisayon/yetzer hara in their life?

Bina: My favorite person in Tanach is Avraham Avinu because he found Hashem and brought Him into this world. I aspire to be like Avraham and find HaShem in every situation of my life and therefore be able to have a stronger Emunah that everything HaShem does is for the best.

Chayala: The story of Chana inspires me since it shows Chana’s emunah in Hashem. She was willing to give up her life for Hashem and trained her seven sons to act the same way. This story empowers me to make kiddish Hashems whenever I have an opportunity.

Leah: I am inspired by Dovid HaMelech’s struggles. How he had the biggest yetzer hara of shedding blood, but used it for good and was able to overcome his challenge. He overcame his blood lust and used it to do the will of Hashem. I find it so inspiring how he changed the bad and made it good

FayPo: Yaakov Avinu embodies constructive diversity. Both Avraham Aveinu and Yitzchak Aveinu raised two sons, one righteous and one evil. Yaakov however had 12 sons, all tzadikim, yet all different. No two shevatim shared the same flag, profession or trait. Each was distinct and their uniqness was celebrated on the degalim and choshen. Yaakov represents the father of various Jewish sects. Yes, our garb may vary, our professions may be diverse but Yaakov shows that each child’s traits can be channeled towards their own preciously unique avodas Hashem.

Rivki: I admire רחל אמינו because she had enough כח to give over the signs that were shared between her and יעקב to לאה in order to save her from embarrassment. I admire Rachel’s זריזות as she handed off her future husband to her sister without thinking twice. She exemplified the חזל of ״נח לו לאדם שיפילוהו לתוך כבשן האש ואל ילבין פני חבירו ברבים״. רחל showed us the severeness of embarrassing someone and we can

What an amazing day on Michlelet! We started the day with an inspiring yom iyun on technology featuring Rabbi Fix. After reflecting on our morning, we boarded the buses and headed to mini tiyulim to Kakadu Art Studio and rock climbing. We ended the day with inspiration words from Rabbi Cohen and an interactive concert by Abby. 

Click below to see all the amazing pictures from this amazing day! 

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Welcome home! Today we were so excited to be back at Lev after an amazing Shabbos! We started our day with a beautiful musical Hallel then “regular” homeroom learning. Then we ran a fun-filled carnival for children with cancer and sibling of those with cancer. The day continued with afternoon learning. We ended the day with Michlelet’s Got Talent which showcased our spectacularly talented camper and mads! We cannot wait begin Elul on Michlelet tomorrow! 

Click below to see all the amazing pictures from this amazing day! 

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