MidLind Update
Masa Meeting
by Dasi Schneider
Last week, those of us who went on Masa Yisraeli had a fun and meaningful reunion. Our amazing madricha, Yonina, came to visit, and brought us delicious homemade ice cream.
Once again, we had circle time, and reminisced about our journey together through the desert. We spoke about our favorite experiences from the trip, and discussed how we had maintained the bonds of friendship that we formed on Masa. Together, we brainstormed about how we could bring the insights we gained on Masa into our daily lives, and share the lessons that we learned with others in our community.
Poland Meeting
by Rebecca Shiner
Although the group who traveled to Poland returned a few weeks ago, our final meeting took place this past Tuesday night. At the meeting, which had a certain familiarity to it because of the group’s shared experience, Rav Brown asked each girl to reflect on the trip and share feedback. We appreciated that our input was sought.
Usually this meeting takes place on the last night of the trip. Had that been the case, our thoughts would have been more raw, but doing it this way allowed the group to process the experience. The consensus was, of course, that the trip was a positive experience and that it had been very well done. Last Tuesday night’s meeting solidified the impact of the Poland trip on all of us.
A Visit From Our Rabbi
by Lital Berger
On Tuesday, November 3rd, all the girls at Midreshet Lindenbaum who attended HAFTR High School received a text from Tova, saying that we had a “surprise” waiting for us in the lobby. We all quickly messaged each other, trying to find out if we knew who/what it was, but to no avail. Within ten minutes, we all gathered downstairs to find the one and only, Rabbi Lewis Wienerkur, the director of Israel Guidance at HAFTR.
We were so excited. There’s nothing like the warmth and familiarity of seeing your high school Rabbi. We sat and spoke with Rabbi Wienerkur for over an hour, chatting and catching up on all that we’d missed at home, and told him all about our experiences in Israel thus far.
Specifically, he asked us, “at what moment did you realize that you had made the right choice, and Midreshet Lindenbaum was indeed the place for you?” We sat in a circle, and one by one considered this question that could not be answered. The truth is, it wasn’t one moment; it’s a collection of moments and experiences that have proven to us Midreshet Lindenbaum was undoubtedly the correct choice.
Rosh Chodesh Siyum Birthday Party
by Ateret Frank
As girls who grew up in chutz l’aretz, many of us very rarely celebrated our Hebrew birthdays. While we have celebrated Rosh Chodesh, and we have sometimes had a siyum when appropriate, it was a truly Israeli experience when our wonderful Chumash teacher, Shani Taragin, brought in tons of food to not only celebrate our own and our friends’ Hebrew birthdays, but Rosh Chodesh and our finishing Sefer Vayikra.
Though, personally, I do often celebrate my Hebrew birthday, I never have quite like we did this time. The class sang to all the birthday girls, and we all gave each other brachot. Moreover, I’ve been to class parties before for various reasons, but this one truly surpassed any I’ve ever experienced. Shani let us feast on warm waffles, which she had heated up in the sandwich maker she brought. She presented a buffet of our favorite ice cream flavors and homemade smoothies.
The food was delicious, but what I really just kept stepping back and thinking about was how special the whole party was. It takes a lot of love for a teacher to do that much for her students. I, personally, am so thankful to Shani for the party, and for generally creating a positive and loving learning environment.
