The original article is published at JPost.com

MAHAZ’S FARMS sit in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, where fellows are taught skills related to regenerative agriculture and homesteading arts—all in a Jewish context.

In the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia (not far from Charlottesville), a diverse group of Jewish adults are taking a break from their careers and studies and spending four intense months as Mahaz Fellows. They spend their long days immersed in the rhythms and activities of two nearby farms where they are learning skills related to regenerative agriculture and homesteading arts—all in a Jewish context.

Jorian Polis Schutz, a Harvard graduate and world-traveler described on Mahaz’s website as a “writer, artist, publisher, curator, educator, land-steward, community builder, culture instigator, entrepreneur, yogi, and gentleman ecologist,” purchased the Virginia farms in 2013. Polis Schutz, who is also co-author of ‘An Introduction to Sabbath Agriculture’, founded the Mahaz Homestead Program in 2021

The fellowship’s thoughtfully chosen, unironic name, Mahaz–Hebrew for “outpost”– tells a lot about the goals and vision of the program. The root word of Mahaz– achaz /“hold” and “be held” provides an additional connection to the aim of the program. The website elaborates: “When we ‘hold’ the land, the land holds us, sustainably, intergenerationally, as a heritage. In this precarious time, we must establish outposts where we can re-learn to root ourselves in sacred relationships with our living home and stronghold (ma’oz) — its contours and micro-climates, its ecological expressions and seasonal successions, and its wider community inter-connections.” Finally, they point out that the two-letter root of the letters aleph and het suggests vision, as in hozeh (a seer), suggesting that returning to the land guides us toward balanced living and richness.

This year’s eight fellows, ages 21-38, and the fellows from the past three cohorts, come from across the United States from careers in finance, the arts, education, social work, nonprofits and even from the field of agriculture. The fellows, who share a curiosity and desire to be close to the land and to develop practical skills very few of their peers back home possess, often learn of the program by word of mouth. While the program has a website and shares word of their mission and program on more conventional Facebook groups and Listservs, program director, Miri Kaiser and director of education, Rabbi Psachyah Lichtenstein, strive to preserve the intimacy of the program and their project. Kaiser offers, “We treasure human relations and our genuine circle of people who treasure farming.”

Kaiser reports that interest in Mahaz “sprouted” (her words) around the time of Covid. “People were shaken from their habitual lifestyle and were seeking something slower, some grounding, something more substantial.” While the farms initially offered more informal apprenticeships, this “influx of interest” led to the fellowship program. This pleases Kaiser, who observes that there has been a “divorce of Jewish peoplehood and their relationship to the land and agriculture.”

Lichtenstein sees this relationship as foundational in Judaism and feels strongly that Jewish farming is not just one more way to express one’s Judaism. “The connection of Jewish tradition and culture and farming is not just one more avenue to connect Jewishly, but it is the primary way to connect the creator to creation. It is the foundation of Jewish culture, born out of a time we were connected to the land and our food system.” He proceeds to offer biblical and historical examples from the Hebrews tending the land and taking care of sheep in Goshen, to working the land in the times of the prophet Jeremiah.

In their four months on the farms, fellows work in a range of horticultural projects including vegetable and medicinal gardens, fruit and nut orchards, and ecological landscaping. Expectations for full participation in the long, often hot and repetitive tasks of farming from 8 am to 5 pm Mondays through Fridays are high. Approximately 16 hours a week are spent farming, 16 learning and two at “community circles.” In most cases, they are expected to be able to lift a 40-pound bag and be ready to work in the rain and during the summer heat. Fellows receive a monthly stipend.

One Shabbat a month is spent as a community on the farm, though participants are welcome and often elect to stay for other Shabbatot.

Work on the farm, which meets seasonal and project needs, often includes planting, weeding and irrigating in the gardens, collecting and washing eggs, assisting with animal care, preservation in the pantry kitchen, herbal processing in the apothecary, landscaping and forestry.

The 16-hour weekly enrichment curriculum includes Intro to Farming, Jewish Studies and homesteading arts. The farming class includes lectures, group discussions and hands-on components as fellows learn to build their own garden beds, maintaining healthy soil, composting and more.

Jewish studies classes explore cycles, rhythms and themes of Jewish tradition within the context of agricultural processes and land stewardship. Lichtenstein offers an example of learning Jewish texts in class and applying it in practice. “You can learn the (biblical) laws of leket and peah for days on end and all the nuance, but when you actually grow a field and grow produce and harvest and grind and bake, gratitude rises out of the food itself because it is not separate from the bread—you see and appreciate it and it puts you in a reverent state. We teach reference through our connection with the food system.”

Homesteading arts offers exposure to such crafts and skills as bushcraft, woodworking, cobb building, leatherwork, broom making and fermentation.

On the day that Lichtenstein and Kaiser spoke with the Jerusalem Post by Zoom, students had been studying about perennial systems. More specifically, they were learning about the best ways to tend and maintain raspberry bushes.

Josh Weinstein, 36, a systems engineer who lived in New Haven, Connecticut prior to the start of the program, describes Mahaz as a “one of a kind experience.” It is also a radical departure from what he describes as “the last thirteen years (at various companies) on the computer all day.” Weinstein has enjoyed learning, living and working side by side with the other fellows who come from diverse Jewish backgrounds and considers the setting to be “one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been” as it is “like a painting in all directions.”

Weinstein is proud of the range of activities he has engaged in thus far and in the skills he has developed. “We built a large garden from scratch and tend it, we raise chickens, collect eggs, and help raise cows for meat.” In addition, he is pleased that he has learned wilderness skills and such crafts as whittling. Weinstein also appreciates the careful thought and attention and Jewish approach which goes into every aspect of the farm. “They are really thoughtful about how they treat the land and relate to animals.”

Weinstein credits Rabbi Lichtenstein as “the reason I am here” and enjoys the ongoing opportunities to “study torah of the earth.” Through his Jewish learning in such a hands-on setting, the laws of Shabbat melachot (work) became more relevant. The fellowship also provided Weinstein with his first opportunity to observe shechita, Jewish ritual slaughter. “I participated in the shechita of four sheep—it was very intense—we kept and tanned the hides. It changed my perception of tefillin, mezuzot and torah scrolls.”

When the fellowship ends at the end of the summer, some fellows may elect to work on this farm, move on to larger farms, or even build their own homesteads. Brocha Leah Barmatz, 23, who has grown up in Postville, Iowa, Brooklyn, New York and Lakewood, New Jersey and has traveled extensively, was a Mahaz fellow two years ago, and now lives on the farm. She initially

responded to a post by Kaiser on Facebook and was immediately drawn to the program. “I was blown away by the interview, by the types of questions Miri asked,” Barmatz recalls. “I never realized a culture like this, which took an interest in youth development existed.” She loves how “each individual (in the fellowship program) is a big part of things and fit together in to a wholesome unit.” Barmatz found the work on the farm to be fulfilling. In addition, she reports, “I was so grateful for the learning opportunities, the quiet, the slowness and how it was so nourishing for me.”

Barmatz decided to return and now is responsible for managing a small garden of kale, cabbage, beans, turnips, zucchini and culinary herbs, she helps with Mahaz logistics, and she is part of “the home team,” helping plan workshops in such areas as crafts, laser cutting and pottery. She has also helped bring some of Mahaz’s ideas to the larger Jewish world. She and a partner attended the Sababa Music Festival in New Jersey where they set up a booth for Refualary, another farm department, which considers itself “a Jewish space for herbal healing arts and community.”

Kaiser and Lichtenstein are always pleased when fellows take what they learned at Mahaz and share it in the world. Kaiser notes, “I hope they will go out and teach what they’ve learned. When it is genuine, there is a natural contagion to it,” Kaiser notes. She shares proudly the story of one student who went back to her community in Brooklyn and taught others to make elderberry syrup, while another student grew tomatoes on her Brooklyn balcony. “They will always have the skills. They will generate their own effect. It is important that they find a niche they love.” Lichtenstein is similarly proud of his alumni and their newly acquired skills. “They are part of their tradition and steeped in what it means to be human.”

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The original article is published at JPost.com

Lissan teaches Hebrew language to Arab women in an effort to promote “linguistic justice and equal access to basic rights and services for all Jerusalem residents.”

When Jerusalem residents Talia Vekshtein and Sirin Smoom ascended the bimah to address the congregation at Manhattan’s B’nai Jeshurun on a Shabbat morning in May, they were not sure what to expect.

The two Israeli friends and colleagues are not typical Israelis who speak at American synagogues, and the topic of their talk was not the typical content coming out of Israel – especially as the war and hostage crisis still rage in Gaza.

Fortunately, the congregation was very excited to hear stories about their organization, Lissan (the Arabic word for “tongue” or language), which, according to its website, teaches Hebrew language to Arab women in an effort to promote “linguistic justice and equal access to basic rights and services for all Jerusalem residents.”

For Smoom, a Palestinian resident of East Jerusalem, this was her first time in a Jewish house of worship.

“Visiting the synagogue for the first time left a profound impression on me,” writes Smoom in an email. “I was struck by the warmth of the community and the respectful manner in which everyone engaged in the service.

LISSAN GREW out of the desire of women in east Jerusalem to improve their Hebrew language skills. (credit: Courtesy Lissan)

“The presence of both a male and a female rabbi was noteworthy and spoke to the synagogue’s inclusivity. The rabbi’s teachings provided deep insights into Jewish beliefs and practices, and what stood out was the prayers for peace for both Israelis and Palestinians – a rare sight that fostered a deeply peaceful and inclusive atmosphere in a very holy place. The readings from the Torah further enhanced my sense of reverence to Jewish traditions.

“Overall, it was an unforgettable introduction to a place of worship that cherishes tradition, community, and spiritual contemplation.”

Vekshtein, in an email, enthuses about the congregation and the opportunity to speak about Lissan together with her colleague.

“For me, visiting B’nai Jeshurun was deeply meaningful because the space of the Shabbat morning service provided emotional processing and spiritual connection within a supportive and inclusive community framework.

“These days, when our land is fraught and it’s so difficult to express all the pain and sorrow, I didn’t expect such an emotional experience far from home, outside my local community.

“It was moving for me to witness a Jewish community that, in the name of Judaism, sanctifies values that are both Jewish and universal – human dignity, equality and justice, and calls for peace and healing between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.

“Experiencing this together with Sirin, and seeing her warmly welcomed with open arms and love, was also deeply meaningful and touching for me. The warm reception we received at B’nai Jeshurun showed me that we have true shared values within the American Jewish community and that together, even in this time, there are large and strong communities that believe Jerusalem and the region as a whole can look different.”

For B’nai Jeshurun’s longtime rabbi, J. Rolando Matalon, inviting the two made perfect sense and fit in with the mission of the shul.

“We brought the women from Lissan at the suggestion of one of our members who is a supporter of the organization,” he explains by email.

“At this time of increased tension and animosity between the Jewish and Palestinian communities, it is important to highlight some of the many examples of partnership and cooperation, and positive contributions to peaceful coexistence.

“Shortly after the presentation by the women from Lissan, we all saw the hatred that was unleashed on Jerusalem Day, which was a desecration of Torah, of Judaism, and of Israel’s Declaration of Independence. We cannot allow that to prevail; we must help the way of Lissan to prevail.”

While Smoom and Vekshtein smiled throughout their talk, shared their experiences warmly and openly and seemed comfortable together, their mission after October 7 is complex and at times difficult. Lissan’s continued success is due to the hard work Smoom, Vekshtein, and their teams have devoted to the program, especially in the difficult period since October 7.

Origins of the organization

LISSAN GREW out of the desire of women in east Jerusalem to improve their Hebrew-language skills.

“Ten years ago, some east Jerusalem neighborhood women approached two Hebrew University students to ask them to teach them Hebrew,” Vekshtein recounts. “They [the women] wanted to be able to speak with their doctors in hospitals, take the light rail, buy things on Jaffa Road, and find better employment.”

What started with once-a-week informal meetings has grown to a robust program which utilizes 50 Jewish and Arab, Israeli and Palestinian volunteers – mostly women – who co-teach Hebrew to over 500 people a year.

Smoom’s own mother is an example of someone who benefited from the program. With improved Hebrew-language skills, the Jerusalem teacher was better able to understand financial and legal documents.

Smoom notes the importance for Arab working women to feel comfortable in Hebrew. “You need to have [decent] Hebrew for any job raise or a higher position. You can’t do it only in Arabic.”

Smoom cites troubling poverty and unemployment data. She notes that more than 60% of families in east Jerusalem live under the poverty line and cites data indicating a greater than 75% unemployment rate. In addition, she points out that more than 70% have no or weak Hebrew-language skills.

Smoom points out the benefits for all east Jerusalem residents if they learn to feel comfortable in Hebrew, noting, “We get most of our services in Hebrew.”

For university students – even those studying in Palestinian universities – mastery of Hebrew is especially important. “You have to get your Hebrew to a high enough level to integrate [into the workforce], or take medical, pharmacy or law exams.”

But, as Vekshtein points out, finding culturally sensitive Hebrew teaching materials can be challenging since “most content is olim-focused and doesn’t take into account cultural needs.” As a result, Lissan writes content and curriculum with its students in mind.

Learning together provides opportunities for this nonhomogeneous group of students – and their teachers – to learn about each other’s lives and cultures.

Vekshtein recalls a recent class where a Christian Palestinian shared about her son’s wedding. “A Muslim student was so curious to hear more!”

It is also an opportunity to tackle head-on the sometimes difficult and complex realities of daily life in Israel. Vekshtein and Smoom note that, after October 7, some sensitive situations have come up.

Smoom notes, “Our students are asking to learn more key words they can use at checkpoints. It is difficult but important for self-protection.” This is an area where co-teaching is useful. She adds, “Most Israeli teachers don’t know about this. We take the experience of our Palestinian teachers who went through this experience and have a dialogue with their students.”

The period right after October 7 posed many challenges. On the most basic level, Smoom notes, the education system was closed and teachers and students were not available for in-person learning. “All of our staff are moms, and they had to stay home with their kids when schools were shut down.”

Vekshtein elaborates, “Staff had to deal with no school and husbands in the army. Other staff members were stuck behind the wall and couldn’t go to the other side.”

In addition, the course was traditionally offered on the Hebrew University campus, which was shut down right after October 7.

But logistics were not the biggest challenge. “It was hard on so many levels,” notes Smoom. “We continued talking about it [the war]” and how to proceed.

Smoom and Vekshtein decided to send surveys to their students and volunteers and were pleased to learn that “90% of the students said yes, they want to go back [to their Hebrew studies], they wanted a routine!” Learning initially resumed via Zoom.

Lissan brought in outside facilitators to talk about and process thoughts and feelings which Vekshtein acknowledges were “complex.” She was pleased that the staff ultimately said, “We put our trust in you and know you can make it happen.”

Vekshtein notes that they all learned ways of having effective dialogues without avoiding difficult topics. “This is not a dialogue group, but we learned how to deal with it if it comes up.”

Vekshtein and Smoom were pleased they were able to reopen in person. Vekshtein reports, “We ended up at full capacity, which enabled positive encounters during this time.”

Lissan’s important work of teaching Hebrew continues. Vekshtein reflects, “I never thought of our work as trauma healing but it is keeping us seeing the humanity of the other side.”

The B’nai Jeshurun congregants returned home with an unusual window into one segment of Israeli society whose members are reaping the benefits of their hard work with “the other.”

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A safe haven. Jewish life-rich, antisemitism-free, Hebrew language-focused, cost-effective, three-year options for studying for a bachelor’s degree in Israel.

Original article published on The Jerusalem Post

Featured image: A PROTESTER raises a flag that states ‘Free Palestine’ at an encampment at the Auraria Campus in Denver, Colorado. Since the October 7 attacks, university campuses across North America have witnessed protests and encampments in support of the Palestinians.(photo credit: KEVIN MOHATT/REUTERS)

When students at Manhattan’s Ramaz Upper School meet with director of college guidance Raphael Blumenthal this fall as part of their college search process, he will have more options to share than in past years – as long as students and parents are willing to expand their search to include institutions of higher learning in the Holy Land.

Blumenthal and nine other college advisers from Jewish day schools in the United States – including SKA, Ramaz, Ma’ayanot, Yeshiva High School for Girls, Bnei Akiva Schools, RASG Hebrew Academy, Frisch School, Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School, Schechter School of Long Island, and the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy – recently returned from an exhausting, exhilarating, and eye opening trip to Israel from June 24-27 where they visited nine colleges in four days to learn about Jewish life-rich, antisemitism-free, Hebrew language-focused, cost-effective, three-year options for studying for a bachelor’s degree in Israel.

While many of the college advisers were already familiar with such Israel study options as the decades-old Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University (TAU) overseas programs and the 30-year-old Reichman University (formerly known as IDC Herzliya), the trip was an opportunity to refresh their memories about them and learn about a range of additional options at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Ariel University, Bar-Ilan University, Jerusalem College of Technology/Machon Lev, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, and the University of Haifa.

While the Reichman degree program is in English, most programs involve students spending the first year taking academic courses in one’s major area of study in English while simultaneously taking intensive Hebrew language courses. 

The goal is for students to transition to the university’s regular Hebrew language academic program where they will complete their degree. 

An aerial view shows the Dome of the Rock in front and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in Jerusalem, April 26, 2023. (credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS)
An aerial view shows the Dome of the Rock in front and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in Jerusalem, April 26, 2023. (credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS)

Many will elect to stay in Israel – which is in line with the goal of its funder, David Magerman.

MAGERMAN HAS long been a supporter of Jewish day schools through his Kohelet Foundation, which was in operation from 2009-2019. His newer venture, the Tzemach David Foundation, founded in 2022, is a grant-giving and operational foundation that is “dedicated to transform the Israeli educational system by providing comprehensive support and fostering innovation.”

A University of Pennsylvania graduate and until recently, a Penn donor, Magerman has been very public in criticizing his alma mater in recent months over both the Palestine Writes festival held a UPenn last September, and anti-Israel and antisemitic protests on the Penn campus in the wake of the Gaza War. The philanthropist has discontinued millions of dollars in support for Penn and has redirected some of his money to Israeli institutions of higher learning.

Magerman, who is also a member of Yeshiva University’s board of directors, recently gave $1 million to Jerusalem College of Technology/Machon Lev and announced additional $1 million gifts to the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Bar-Ilan University and two others to be announced soon.

TAMAR KRIEGER, executive director of the Tzemach David Foundation, notes that supporting institutions of higher learning in Israel “became a natural outgrowth” of his previous support of higher education in the United States. 

It also fits in with an important goal of Magerman and the foundation – to encourage young people to make aliyah at a period in their lives before they have become settled in to careers and married life.

Krieger shares that one goal of Magerman’s new foundation is to “make aliyah easier,” stressing that “olim integration should be a goal.” They are hoping that mastery of Hebrew and obtaining a bachelor’s degree from a top Israeli university – while socializing with Israelis and enjoying rich Jewish life on campus – will help their ultimate successful integration into Israeli society.

Krieger is working to operationalize and implement this vision and ultimately share it with college advisers at Jewish day schools in the US. She observes, playfully, “We found college advisers to be the low hanging fruit – they are the ones who tell the students where to go – they have to have info about student life, in the same way they know about Penn and Binghamton,” a leading SUNY university.

Before putting together the Israel trip, Krieger and the foundation needed to learn more about the programs the Israeli universities already offer as well as the types of support they offer students.

ONE HELPFUL starting point was Maureen Adiri Meyer, who for thirteen years has served as director of Lowy International School at TAU. 

She explains that the university already has a long history of supporting the specialized and evolving needs of students, which predate October 7. The director notes that their support of current students from India, China, the EU and the US, through their dual degree program with Columbia University reflects their ability to meet unique needs of various groups of students. 

Adiri Meyer offers that their experience meeting such needs will be helpful in supporting future students. 

As an example of TAU’s ability to adapt, she shares that it began realizing the needs of Modern Orthodox students who began participating in the Columbia program during the Covid pandemic in 2020. 

“They were used to Hillel and Chabad on campus and were looking for something,” she says.

 “Some of our kids were living in Herzliya and coming to Ramat Aviv to learn.” These students were choosing to live close to Reichman University where they could take advantage of the robust Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus program of the Orthodox Union. 

As a result, Adiri Meyer and her team collaborated with JLIC to start a program at TAU.

RABBI JONATHAN Shulman, who served as the initiative’s director at Penn from 2010-2014 and now serves as director of OU-JLIC in Israel, actually credits a pioneering group of gap-year students who approached him nearly ten years ago who pointed out the lack of supports for students from abroad. “They came to me and said, ‘Why should we lose out?’” 

In 2017, a JLIC couple came to Reichman. “Increasingly, an idealistic group of students chose to be here,” Shulman reports, noting that Hillel on Israeli campuses has always focused on Israelis, but there was “no one working in the international student space.” The initiative’s work then expanded to Bar-Ilan and has continued to grow on campuses throughout Israel.

Adiri Meyer feels that creating community for these students on campus – through JLIC and in general – will be a major key to the success of the students in Israel. She has enjoyed working with Rabbi Shulman, noting, “It has been fabulous working with him since day one.”

Shulman credits Magerman for his long-time support of JLIC and for helping set up a structure to support foreign students. “David has been a visionary and took it to the next level – even before 10/7.” Shulman notes that over 20% of gap-year students remain in Israel and that “not all go right to college first.” Shulman is pleased to partner “with great universities” and credits them with continuing to grow and evolve as they offer hybrid programs for these students.

The Israel OU-JLIC director also praises the Diaspora Affairs Ministry for their support. Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, connects his support of the new initiative to current events in Israel and around the world. 

An entire nation under attack 

“On October 7, a severe war began not only against the State of Israel, but against the entire Jewish people,” he says. “Jewish communities worldwide found themselves under severe attack, culminating in violent riots and displays of hate on elite campuses in North America. The State of Israel serves as a home and refuge for every Jew regardless of their background, and makes great efforts to assist as much as possible. 

“The ministry is proud to promote this program in collaboration with the Tzemach David Foundation, aiming to increase awareness of the various study programs offered by universities in Israel,” Chikli said. “We invite all students to consult with the advisers about the many academic opportunities in Israel.”

Adiri Meyer is happy to welcome these students to TAU. She feels having these American students complete their undergraduate degrees there can be beneficial both to them and to the university community. She notes that they will receive a top level, affordable, Jewishly rich education in Israel in three years, while also enhancing life on campus.“We are the largest university in Israel with 30,000 students,” she says proudly, noting that most undergraduates are 23 and after their army service. “Having these American students study in the university will add a lot to the university. The more integrated they become, and the more our Israeli students meet smart, talented kids from around the world, the more global they will be.”

Once Krieger and the foundation better understood the landscape of higher education in Israel, they decided to move quickly to invite college advisers on the quickly but carefully planned Israel trip.

ESTHER GENUTH, a member of the College Guidance department at the Frisch School in Paramus, New Jersey, was delighted at the invitation to participate on the trip. 

She notes that her entire department has been observing a trend in the past five years towards more gap year participants staying in Israel to complete army or national service and to remain in Israel for college. She notes that Frisch even offered a panel this year where three Israeli universities shared information about their programs. “There has been an even bigger shift this year toward exploring Israel study options,” she says.

Genuth was pleased with how they were received and with what they learned. “The schools were so grateful for us coming,” she observes, adding that she was pleased to learn how “Israeli schools are adapting and forming new programs for both those who plan to make aliyah or [who] go back to America.” 

She feels well prepared to share updated information with her students, which she obtained first hand. “Seeing places and meeting people was invaluable,” she reports. “After the trip and after meeting with JLIC, I have no doubt our students will be successful!”

 ANNE GREENSPOON is co-director of college guidance at Berman Hebrew Academy in Rockville, Maryland, where she reports that more than 90% of students traditionally participate in gap year programs in Israel, mostly yeshiva or seminary. “In the past, a handful had plans to do a gap year, then IDF service, then maybe come back for college. Now, parents want a backup plan,” she says.

Greenspoon has observed a shift in her students as they consider post gap-year plans. “This year, we saw more students who planned to return to America for college changing their minds. Many are choosing to stay and serve in the IDF.” Many of those students may elect to remain in Israel for college.

The college guidance co-director further notes that, when she and her Berman colleagues began one-on-one meetings with 11th graders and their parents in January to discuss college options, “Many said they were only considering Yeshiva University or Touro (Jewishly affiliated) colleges – or college in Israel. 

After Passover and the pro-Gaza/anti-Israel encampments, more people asked, ‘what do you know about universities in Israel?’ We have been talking about this a lot.” She notes that the school hosted a webinar in May with Rabbi Shulman of JLIC for their college counselors.

For Greenspoon, the Israel trip came at a perfect time. “The big thing for our students is that they feel they will miss out on campus life. I think these new programs, where they can attend university in Israel alongside a JLIC community, is a big game changer for our students!” She also notes that “these new hybrid programs will attract students who are a little older and may be good for those who served in the IDF or did national service.”

 She anticipates the concerns of her students’ parents about both just how competitive the Israel universities are, and how the Israel degree will be viewed if they come back to the US.

ADIRA MEYER of TAU assures potential applicants that “students will be studying with top academics in a top university.” 

And while Ramaz’s Blumenthal knows that the Israel university option is not for everyone, he already has a top student in mind for university study in Israel. “I am thinking of a student who will thrive at the Technion or Jerusalem College of Technology/Machon Lev – he will love having Torah learning alongside the academics. 

“I am intrigued, excited and impressed with the level of education that Israel universities provide,” he says. “They clearly have top-notch experts in their fields. When you think about the Start-Up Nation, they are providing an education that is producing world leaders.”

It is now up to the college advisers to share their newly acquired knowledge of the Israel university option with their students and their families. Magerman, the universities and the Start-up Nation eagerly await their arrival.

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Original article was published on The Jerusalem Post

Sababa attendees had the opportunity to experience the best aspects of a traditional music festival while also sampling workshops and merchandise from vendors.

In many ways, the four-day Sababa Music Festival in Hammonton, New Jersey, was like other music festivals – top bands on many stages, vendors, barbecues, merch, camping, cornhole, yoga, frisbee, lake swimming, alcohol, some recreational drugs, people milling about barefoot, and unlimited opportunities to socialize with old and new friends.

But Sababa, held this year on June 27-30 and nearly every year since 2017 at a number of locations in the New York area, is quite unique. The 1,300 festival attendees were almost exclusively Jewish. They came together from extremely diverse backgrounds and locations such as New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin, Arizona, Canada, and Israel. Some were looking to get closer to traditional Judaism and enjoyed putting on tefillin (phylacteries) for the first time. The large group of Rabbi Nahman of Breslov followers blasted music, danced, and shared soup with anyone who visited their large “Nanachville” village.

This year, there was added significance to many of the attendees due to connections to music festivals, particularly the Nova Festival, which took place last Simchat Torah in Israel and was among the targets of the October 7 Hamas massacre, resulting in hundreds of celebrants’ deaths.

When Riverdale resident Barry Kanner visited The Nova Music Festival Exhibition – The Moment Music Stood Still recently in New York, he knew instantly that he needed to participate in the Sababa festival.

“While fighting back the nausea and tears, there was one thought that gave me solace,” he said. “It was my plan to be at Sababa, where, as a proud Jew, I will counter evil, blind hatred, and darkness with friendship, celebrating Shabbat and great music. We will dance again!”

RAPPER KOSHA DILLZ in performance. (credit: HOWARD BLAS)
RAPPER KOSHA DILLZ in performance. (credit: HOWARD BLAS)

Veteran concert promoter Peter Shapiro, owner of the Brooklyn Bowl and The Capitol Theater, shared Kanner’s sentiments about the need to dance again. “The only way to pick ourselves back up from the terrible trauma that October 7th has caused for all humans is to dance again, so I am very much looking forward to how we can pick up the pieces through the spiritually replenishing magic of a live music festival.”

The themes of love for Israel and “dancing again” were everywhere. Many tents and campsites featured Israeli flags and the Nova festival; enthusiastic fans waved the flags as Matisyahu, who has done so in Israel since October 7, performed “One Day” and “Jerusalem.”

MANY TENTS and campsites featured flags of Israel. (credit: HOWARD BLAS)
MANY TENTS and campsites featured flags of Israel. (credit: HOWARD BLAS)

Artist Michal Neiman created a large, colorful “We Will Dance Again” mural featuring 364 butterflies that were filled in by attendees with the names of people murdered at the Nova Festival.

Neiman, 27, a nurse and artist who also constructed a whimsical Shabbat Table in a covered tent, where attendees could go for solace throughout the festival, noted that “we have all been thinking about Nova and will, at some point, while here.” For that reason, she decided to create a “visual tribute.” Participants chose file cards with names of the Nova victims, which they wrote on blank butterflies on the exhibit, and kept the file cards for remembrance. “Everyone could pick a card and hold on to it and dance with it,” Neiman said.

Harrison Ferber and his fiancée, from Lower Manhattan, picked a blue card and added the names of Lori Vardi, 26, of Raanana, and Einav Elkayam Levy, 32, of Givatayim. They were proud to write the names inside the butterflies and take the cards home with them to continue remembering the victims.

SABABA ATTENDEES had the opportunity to experience the best aspects of a traditional music festival while also sampling workshops and merchandise from vendors. The musical offerings kicked off Thursday with Mun on the main stage and Chillz/Jammz at the bonfire stage.

Others were looking for their place in the Jewish world as they moved beyond haredi Judaism.  A 20-something woman in shorts and a t-shirt was speaking with another attendee in Yiddish, describing her Satmar background. Another man was telling a new friend that he grew up ultra-Orthodox in Baltimore and remained religious “until five years ago.”

Liba Yoffe, who led a Saturday afternoon workshop on “Breaking the Chains of Fear,” is a formerly religious, divorced mother of four who shared her story of being the first woman to compete on the TV show American Ninja in a long dress and wig. A blonde, American-born 20-something, draped in an Israeli flag throughout the weekend, described herself as living “somewhere in Gush Etzion” where she “does farming.”

Friday’s musical highlights, which went from 1:30 pm until just before 8:13, the time for Shabbat candle-lighting, included rapper Kosha Dillz, who also led a Shabbat day workshop on “How to Become a Jewish Rapper in 57 Minutes,” Souls on Fire, Top Cats, a versatile Grateful Dead cover band, and others. 

On Friday, following optional morning prayers, the Zen Zone featured communal shakshuka cooking with chef Nir Margalith and pre-Shabbat shakshuka tasting to raise awareness of Havat Marpe (Healing Space), located in Rishpon, Israel, and its unique, integrated response to collective trauma  “Our organization wants to support Nova. We have hosted 3,500 survivors so far,” he said. Their work has also impacted young adults from Kibbutz Re’im, 2,300 combat soldiers, and others. They expect to help 28,000 by the end of 2024. Margalith, a chef who has worked in the tourism industry, is traveling to America every six weeks to cook at private events that raise money for the organization.

LIBA YOFFE led a workshop on ‘Breaking the Chains of Fear. (credit: HOWARD BLAS)
LIBA YOFFE led a workshop on ‘Breaking the Chains of Fear. (credit: HOWARD BLAS)

Pre Shabbat events featured a healing session with Tamar, team-building activities with Shilo, Kabalah Yoga, and a Wrapunzel head-wrapping workshop.

While many came to Sababa for the music and workshops, many elected to spend a great deal of time socializing and hosting dance parties and dining events in specially designated camping villages with names such as The Persian Peninsula, The Jungle, The Chevre (Philadelphia-area young professionals), Burning Heart/Vallevue, and Nanachville.

Sababa attendees had the opportunity to experience the best aspects of a traditional music festival while also sampling workshops and offerings from vendors. (credit: HOWARD BLAS)
Sababa attendees had the opportunity to experience the best aspects of a traditional music festival while also sampling workshops and offerings from vendors. (credit: HOWARD BLAS)

AS SHABBAT approached, some lined up for the modern showers trucked in for the event. Others continued dancing, swimming, and hanging out. For the fully Sabbath-observant, an extensive eruv (enclosure) was constructed to permit carrying, and a sophisticated apparatus was built to constantly replenish hot water, thereby enabling the drinking of hot coffee on Shabbat.

A spirited song-and-dance-filled Kabalat Shabbat (Welcoming of Shabbat) took place after candle lighting near the main stage; no one seemed in a rush to get to dinner, and it continued until 10 p.m. Everyone then proceeded to the packed dinner tent, where there was ample and tasty food for all 1,300 guests. It was still rocking well past midnight, when two recently married couples celebrated Sheva Brachot (the “Seven Blessings” recited over wine during the wedding ceremony, after the wedding feast, and following festive meals during the next seven days). The festival organizers were proud that 15 couples have married after meeting at previous Sababa festivals.

On Shabbat morning, Rabbi Shraga Sherman of Chabad of the Main Line (Philadelphia) and father of Mendel Sherman, one of the organizers, delivered an optional 10:30 am class on hassidism, followed by traditional davening and an equally well-attended yoga session.

There was something for everyone on Shabbat day, including workshops by Spirit Fit Life founder Liba Yoffe, Kosha Dillz, presenters on Jewish comedy and Jewish poetry, a panel on second chances, and a popular, interactive session on self-defense. The lake was open for swimming, and at least one young married couple was observed fighting and the wife crying. They apparently worked hard to resolve their differences and were seen holding hands while walking away.

Those who were not fully Sabbath observant were asked to respect the sanctity of the day for those who were. No one seemed to object to those who chose to enhance their Shabbat with barbecues or weed smoking.

Live music took a break over Shabbat, though it resumed promptly as the sun went down with a spirited 10 p.m. musical havdalah (end of Shabbat ceremony) and bonfire with Binyomin Lerner at the Bonfire Stage. The music continued all night long on both the Bonfire Stage and the Main Stage. Headliner Matisyahu had the crowd singing, dancing, and waving Israeli flags as he performed from 12 midnight until1:30 a.m., accompanied by one of his sons for two of the songs). The other headliner, Zusha, took to the stage at 2:15 a.m.; the crowd was not bothered by the rainstorm, including thunder and lightning, as the remaining performers, Levyticus and FreeJ, were still scheduled for sets at 4 and 5 a.m.

Matisyahu was excited to perform, and he appreciated just how different Sababa is from most other events.

 “After 10/7, there has been a shift in the world. We are more united now as a Jewish people.  Obviously, some Jews are running in the opposite direction. For many, coming together is very important. Sababa is a perfect example. Jewish bands, Jews from different walks of life, camping, Shabbat. It’s a chance to experience a real sense of ahdut (unity), healing, and empowerment that we are all desperate to have now,” he said.

Festival co-founder Mendel Sherman, 31, describes himself as “always out of the box and not fitting the mold.” He always loved music but never found a “creative outlet.” However, a Phish concert that he attended in 2012 was life changing for him. “It lit a fire under me,” said Sherman. “We need to do this in the Jewish world – a fusion to tie it all together.” Friends introduced him to Alter Deitsch. and the first Sababa was born in June 2017. “It snowballed from there,” noted Deisch, 33, as the two described the growth and evolution of Sababa. 

Deitsch, who was content to simply “have a lot of fun around music and camping,” said they “realized, after the first year, that it is way deeper; people from different cultures start to meet.” He proudly shared the story of a shidduch (matchmaking) that occurred in the first event between “people who wouldn’t have met” otherwise. He used the word “cross-pollination” to describe what takes place regularly at Sababa. “There is real interconnection and pollination of all types of Jews,” he said.

Deitsch and Sherman feel their job is “to set the ground for people to be comfortable and to be their fullest selves, with no judgment, within Judaism.” In the wake of Nova, their conviction was strengthened that “Sababa has to be Sababa. The need for this has intensified.”

Participants have been home already for days and continue to post in the Sababa WhatsApp group and Instagram, and many are still proudly wearing their festival bracelets. And they are discussing next year’s festival and other meaningful opportunities for Jews to gather together. 

Sababa has danced and will dance again.

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