The Jerusalem Post - The Jerusalem Post Magazine
FINDING STRENGTH, HOPE, AND PURPOSE: MATAN’S SUMMER PROGRAM IN JERUSALEM
“Focusing on War and Peace” is the theme of Matan’s Summer Program, which will be held at its Jerusalem campus, 30 Rashbag Street, from July 7 through July 25. The Summer Institute is open to men and women and features three English-language classes daily on the chosen theme, Sundays through Wednesdays from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm. On Thursdays, participants will enjoy a tiyul that will depart from the Matan campus that morning and return later that afternoon.
Sarina Novick, a graduate of the Matan Bellows Educators Institute and director of the Summer Program, explains that the annual theme reflects the current realities of Jewish life. This year’s theme, “Focusing on War and Peace,” is especially appropriate, given the security situation in Israel. We will explore the subject as discussed in the Bible, Jewish law, the Talmud, and the Responsa literature with some of Matan’s top educators, including Dr. Yael Ziegler, Dr.
Yosefa Fogel Wruble, Rabbanit Shani Taragin, Dr. Tanya White, Tamar Weissman, Rivi Frankel and more. “Participants have told me that they are so grateful for this program,” says Novick. “It has exposed them to women who are knowledgeable in the Torah sphere, whom they would not have known about without the Matan Summer Program.”
Novick adds that a congenial and friendly atmosphere prevails during the three-week session. “The feeling is not formal like in a lecture hall but experiential and interactive” she says. “Some of our participants are from Israel, have made aliyah, and live here; some are from abroad – it’s a great mix. There are women who are regulars, and they’ve developed into a community that actually spans beyond the program itself. They share each other’s ups and downs and have each other’s backs.”
Each Thursday, participants will join expert educators touring areas of Israel relevant to the theme of war and peace. Tiyulim will include visits to the Galilee, Gush Etzion, and Sha’ar Hagai, where visitors will learn about war and peace in Biblical times as well as in the modern State of Israel. Volunteering and helping those in need will be integral to the program.
Chaya Bina-Katz, Matan’s CEO, said that she is “delighted that please God people will be coming to Israel this summer, during these challenging times and that they will be part of a very special learning and volunteering experience. It is a wonderful way to connect and show achdut with Am Yisrael.”
The Matan Summer Program will begin on Sunday, July 7, with a special event in Jerusalem’s Old City featuring a musical tefillah, followed by breakfast and a guest lecturer. Join for a day, a week, or more of uplifting learning, touring, and volunteering to find strength, hope, and purpose in these difficult times.
Matan – The Sadie Rennert Women’s Institute for Torah Studies, is one of the world’s leading institutions for women’s Torah study, with cutting-edge and pioneering programs in Talmud, Halakha, and Tanakh. Over 10,000 students attend classes weekly in Matan’s 11 branches throughout the country and worldwide.