MIDRESHET ESHEL GRADUATES THE COMMUNITY LEADERS OF TOMORROW

SERVING THE COMMUNITY FOR THE PAST 13 YEARS, MIDRESHET ESHEL IS THE ONLY SEPHARDIC POST HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR GIRLS IN ISRAEL. STUDENTS LIVE AND LEARN IN THE HEART OF JERUSALEM JUST A FEW STEPS FROM THE KOTEL. INTENSE LEARNING OF A VARIETY OF JUDAIC STUDIES CLASSES TAUGHT BY TOP EDUCATORS, COUPLED WITH INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION, AFFORD STUDENTS THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL BOTH SPIRITUALLY AND PERSONALLY.

Alumni continue to gain from the experience years later. Some have gone on to careers in Jewish education. Here are what a few of them had to say.

Teera Ades 2019
Hillel Yeshiva High School located in Ocean Township, New Jersey, is where I grew. As my four years there were coming to a close, I thought the ideal and expected situation for me was to go straight to college to get a degree post-high school. A bunch of my friends were going to Eshel for the year, and I decided I wanted to go too. First, I had to convince my parents to let me go to Israel. It wasn’t easy for them to let me go, but they did. And in September, I was about to live in Jerusalem for the next few months.

If I’m being honest, I didn’t know what to expect. Would I like being away from home? Would I make new friends? Would I change in any way as a person? Would this experience be worth it? It turned out, my experience at Eshel was life changing. To start off, the group of friends I met turned into family. These girls all came in with a similar mindset to mine, to learn and work on themselves. Through this, we all became very close and my best friends were made through my experience in Israel. The laughs and memories we shared in the dorms and classrooms will forever be remembered and continued.

The trips and the Shabbatons will never be forgotten. I would have never imagined that I would go on such amazing hikes, see bright pink sunsets, and float in the sparkly waters of Israel’s oceans. We truly got to see the beauty of Israel—in Tzfat, Mitzpe Ramon, and Kochav Hashachar.

Finally, the rabbis and teachers forever changed my life. My spirituality and faith grew tremendously, and they gave me guidance for my life going forward. Now, two years later, I am still in touch with the rabbis and teachers and know they are always there for me to give advice whenever needed. Currently, I am in Hunter College and learning to take my experience and integrate what I learned into my everyday life. Eshel helped me grow my relationships with the people in my life and with Hashem. I learned that happiness and joy come from the simple moments and to cherish every waking minute of this crazy lifetime. My advice to people that are considering going to Eshel is don’t think, just go. You only get to do this once, and when you start college or your job, this experience to learn for the year will not be there anymore. Don’t let this opportunity slip away, go to Eshel!

Judy Sitt 2019
Deciding to go to Midreshet Eshel was the best decision I ever made. Coming from Ilan I always had a strong connection to Judaism and learning, but Eshel brought out a love that I never knew I had. Whether it was learning about the beauty of Shabbat, how Yosef can be compared to Moshe, or learning Lashon Tov with Mrs. Tawil, I found I was getting to know more about myself and what’s important to me.

Currently, I am studying for my Masters in Rutgers University in Math Education, while simultaneously being a part of Melamedet, a wonderful program that trains girls in the community to become Judaic Studies teachers. Having the unbelievable experience in Eshel not only gave me knowledge, but skills that I continue to use both in college, in Melamedet, and in my recent marriage.

Anyone who asks me about the seminary, and if they should go, my immediate reaction is “Yes yes yes!” The experience in Eshel is created in a unique and personal way; one that caters to every single girl individually. The point is not to produce a cookie cutter student. It’s to take each girl’s individual strengths and teach her to thrive and become all that she is meant to be.

Alicia Matsas 2020 – Present
I went to Scheck Hillel High school in Miami, Florida. When I was in my senior year of high school, I decided I wanted to spend a year in Israel to build my Jewish foundation and become more self-aware.

I decided to go to Midreshet Eshel and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. It gave me so much vitality and meaning in my life. There’s so much to say about this phenomenal experience. One thing I want to specifically highlight is Eshel’s incredible staff. I feel so privileged to be learning every day from the most amazing, diverse set of educators who each teach Torah in ways that are so relevant and practical in your everyday life. I leave every class with a new tool to practically implement in my life in order to improve my character. My teachers have helped shape me into the person I am today. They have become my role models and the people I reach out to for advice at any given moment. They have made it so clear that they are always there for us and show us unconditional love, care, and warmth.

A year and a half later, I am still learning and growing at Midreshet Eshel, along with inspiring and teaching the current Shana Aleph students. I am so beyond grateful to Midreshet Eshel for helping me on my path to self-discovery, giving me amazing friends for life, loving support and education from my astounding teachers, a strong Jewish foundation, inspiring Shabbatons, and providing me with all the tools I need to live my best life.

Sophie Shabot 2020
I always had this idea of going to Israel for the year. I didn’t really know what that meant, I just knew that it was a year of learning Torah and connecting to Hashem. I went to Magen David Yeshivah High School. I always had difficulty following and connecting to the Torah classes and was never fully able to appreciate the amazing classes that they offered. There was something about a year in Israel that was just a given for me. When I got to Eshel it was something so unexpected. What I thought would be a year full of boring Tanach classes that I wouldn’t understand, turned out to be an endless world of depth, opportunities, and growth. The rabbis and teachers are beyond incredible and so dedicated to each and every student. They gave us the tools to really move forward and until this day maintain close relationships with us. I was completely blown away by the subjects we were learning and how they were even related to Torah. We had a class dedicated to self-esteem and self-image. We learned so much about our middot, both the good and the bad. We learned the essence of the prayers we say every day and the spiritual meanings of the holidays and Shabbat. Every teacher, every class, every friend that I made, impacted my experience and shaped who I am today. Eshel truly changed my life. I learned so much about myself, how I want to present myself, and what I truly value. It changed the way I view things and helped me develop into a more confident and self-aware individual. I learned to put meaning behind everything I do and to be grateful for everything Hashem hands me. Although this experience was exciting and awakening, many people don’t touch upon the hardships and bumps along the road. For me, this was a journey that was definitely difficult and mentally challenging. Recognizing that Hashem is holding my hand every step of the way guided me to a mindset of tranquility. Nothing ever comes easy but trusting Hashem is part of the process. I think this is such an important year and opportunity to build a person’s character and sense of self. I’m so grateful that I was able to develop a life of passion and meaning.

Sylvia Cohen 2020-21
To put Eshel into words is nearly impossible, words do not do it justice. I came to Eshel last year to experience a year in a Sephardic seminary near the Kotel in Eretz Yisrael, but little did I know this year long experience would turn into a lifelong journey and the start of a new mindset. Besides the fact that something about Eshel is magnetic in bringing girls closer to Hashem, the school itself is connected to every student that attends and has an attraction that brings alum back all the time, including myself. There’s something indescribable in the air of our building in the Old City of Jerusalem that makes it so hard to leave.

Midreshet Eshel gave me the love and passion for Judaism that I so desperately wanted all my life. The Torah learning and personal growth experienced at Eshel is on another spiritual level that is unique to learning in our beautiful classroom overlooking Har Habayit. Attending Midreshet Eshel helped me develop a strong passion for Torah that I never had before, and made me sure that I want to be a Judaic Studies teacher. I am currently studying at Allegra Franco. Investing in Midreshet Eshel will not only reinforce your love for Sephardic tradition, but it will give you connections to Sephardic Jews from all over the world. Relationships between students and teachers last a lifetime, as do the values instilled within us including having a strong Jewish identity, dedication to Torah and mitzvot and an intense love for the land of Israel. Attending Midreshet Eshel will help you discover yourself, your true purpose, and the presence of Hashem in your daily life.

Sarah Frastai 2020
Before Eshel, I attended Yeshivah of Flatbush High School. Most of my life before Eshel included going to school, hanging out with my friends, doing my homework and going to sleep. I never really thought too deeply about my life or the things I did. I decided to go to Eshel mostly from the reviews it got from previous students. Anytime I asked an alum how their experience was, their immediate response was “It’s indescribable. You have to go. It was the best year of my life!”

Despite the little knowledge I received about the school, I was intrigued to see for myself. I wanted to know what Eshel was really about, and I can say with certainty that going was the best decision I’ve ever made. Eshel changed who I am and how I think. The rabbis are always there for you. They help guide you in your midot and they always want to help you to succeed in any way they can. In Eshel, they are not only your teachers, but your role models and mentors in every sense. The classes are growth oriented and they helped change my perspectives on Torah and Judaism. They made me shift my judgments of Torah being a pointless academic course to an enjoyable deep concept. The person I’ve become after Eshel knows her purpose and understands the concept of being a Jew, not only in practice, but in spirit. Because of the deep love and connection I formed with Torah in Eshel, I decided to pursue a degree in Jewish Education. I am currently studying at Melamedet. I want to give to the future leaders of the community what I experienced in Eshel. I would recommend Eshel to anyone who wants to have the most life changing experience. It’s just something you have to see for yourself.

If you would like more information about Midreshet Eshel, email office@midresheteshel.org.