16
Aug
I have spent the last two weeks at Bais Chana’s Jewish Studies Retreat for Women in the Twin Cities.
Being immersed in Jewish Learning has been an enriching experience. The women at Bais Chana are supportive of each other as we learn and grow together.
I have filmed myself through some of the activities at Bais Chana. This video gives a snapshot of life at Bais Chana.
It’s 11p.m. My Jewish Study class at Bais Chana just ended.
We read the rebbe’s diaries in Yiddish. We discussed the coming of the Mashiach (the Messiah) and why Chabad Jews go to all corners of the world to reach out to Jews.
On our way out, we found a frog on the glass door, looking in. Maybe he wanted to attend class too.
So we asked him… on camera.
14
Aug
During the Bais Chana’s retreat, I got the honor to attend a Bris Milah, a Jewish circumcision ceremony performed on a 8-day old male infant.
The circumcision ceremony took place in a synagogue on a Sunday.
I barely got to see the circumcision itself since the baby was surrounded by his male family members: father, uncle, grandfather, as well as the mohel, a Jewish person trained in the practice of Brit milah (circumcision). I filmed what I could glimpse of the circumcision, holding my iPad high above my head, and standing in the women’s section of the synagogue. The mother of the baby and other female family members were also in the women’s section.
It was amazing to be immersed in this atmosphere of prayers, songs and joy to celebrate the keeping of a covenant of more than 5,000 years old between the Jews and G-d _ ever since Abraham.
10
Aug
While immersed in Jewish studies at Bais Chana’s retreat for women, a senator walked in.
It was Senator Rudy Boschwitz (R-MN), who negociated the release of Ethiopian Jews in 1991 in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia.
Operation Solomon.
One of the most daring missions in history. It resulted in the successful release of 14,000 Ethiopian Jews, who were flown to Israel within a tight window of opportunity: 24 hours.
The operation had required the combined efforts of the United States and Israel. Senator Boschwitz was the main American negociator.
And my friends and I were lucky to hear the inside story of Operation Solomon.
Enjoy the video!
Brochie Kanelsky is a young Chasidic Jewish woman. She is 21 years old and passionate about serving G-d.
I met Brochie at Bais Chana’s retreat of Jewish Studies for Women. This was her 11th time at Bais Chana.
In this video, she explains what it means to be a Jewish woman of Chabad affiliation.
Dear Nesta.
I hope all is well with you in Sargeant.
I am learning a lot at this retreat of Jewish studies for women. There are women of all ages, who are all passionate about learning. Our classes start at 9 a.m. and end at 11 pm every night. I am barely getting enough hours of sleep. And it is all worth it.
However, yesterday I got frustrated.
We learned about the role of women according to Jewish Law, which is followed to the letter by Orthodox and Chasidic Jews. The emphasis was of course on the woman’s obligation to get married, have children and care for the Jewish home.
“Not getting married at 18 means you’re putting off life,” the Chasidic rabbi said in class.
I felt like I was going to run out of the classroom. I don’t know if the frustration I was feeling was because I was being told that I was not leading a real life or was it because I was wondering _ deep down inside _ if my decision to wait to get married and have children had been a mistake?
Either way, I had to flee the building. On my way to grab my jogging outfit, I met the rabbi. I asked him if wearing pants was appropriate for a woman going jogging. He kindly replied that women usually wear a skirt over their pants.
What?! I thought to myself. Does he know how hot it is out there?
Under normal circumstances, I would have understood. The Chabad dressed code for women is to be covered from the collar bone to the elbows and knees. And not to cross dress. But I was already agitated by the class discussion on marriage and was not so open to listen. I went for a power walk in the woods to calm down.
Today, I am still thinking about the choices I’ve made in my life and the decisions I will face as I learn more about my own faith and heritage.
Shabbat Shalom!
Torah is the instruction for life.
I am sitting in class during the two-week retreat of Jewish Studies for women in the Twin Cities, MN. The class is titled “From Generation to Generation: Trace the origin of Jewish Laws, customs, and traditions.”
“If you were to open up the Torah, you would find stories,” said my teacher Leah Abraham. “The stories teach us about ourselves and how to serve G-d.”
To illustrate how the Torah shapes our views today, the teacher brings up the craziest story I have ever heard.
It is about goat uteri. It comes straight from the Talmud. And it shapes the lives of every Jewish woman.
Enjoy the video; it’s an excerpt from the class lecture.
Lubavitch Retreat in Twin Cities (Photo from www.lubavitch.com)
I have decided to go to a Jewish Studies Retreat for Women.
This was my first time immersing myself in Jewish studies and diving into a Jewish environment for a period of time longer than a Shabbat. I was excited.
And I was nervous.
The two-week immersion program is being organized by Bais Chana, which is affiliated with Chabad Lubavitch. Being a conservative Jew, I did not know if I would feel like a fish out of water in an ultra orthodox retreat.
When I arrived at the 5-acre wooded land, the first thing I saw was three women walking down the street. I knew right away they were Orthodox Jews because of their long skirts and long-sleeve blouses.
Oh no! And here I was wearing a t-shirt and pants!
At the reception office, the organizer, with whom I had been in contact with over the phone, gave me a big hug to welcome me. She too was dressed in long sleeves and long skirt, but she did not mind the way I was dressed.
I had nothing to worry about.
A young woman walked into the building pulling a suitcase. She wore black tights and a t-shirt.
“Hi I’m Samantha from New York,” she introduced herself with a big smile. This was her second summer at Bais Chana’s retreat.
I then met a teenage girl from Pittsburg, who studies at a yeshiva.
Then a woman in her 60s walked in; she had flown in from Texas. She wore a hippie version of the long skirt and sleeve: she had on a long jean skirt and a white long sleeve blouse underneath an open shirt.
I realized then that the Chassidic house, with paintings of bearded men on its walls, was welcoming Jewish women of all backgrounds.
All of us have come together with one passion: to study Thorah and immerse ourselves in Judaism. Some are interested in the Talmud. Others in the Mashiach (the Messiah). As for me, I am here to learn prayers and Jewish Law.
On its website, Bais Chana sums up what the next two weeks will bring:
“You may not become a scholar at Bais Chana, but you’ll definitely leave with a more profound appreciation of your identity – as a Jew and as a woman.”